


Safe

by margaerystark, rebeccavis



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bodyguard, Bodyguard Romance, F/M, Politics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:42:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23135593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/margaerystark/pseuds/margaerystark, https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebeccavis/pseuds/rebeccavis
Summary: "Margaery was young for a politician, Robb realized as he glanced at the file yet again. She must have worked incredibly hard to be vying for such an important position at the same age as him, and she whether she won or not she clearly had a promising career ahead of her. Robb was going to make sure there was no way that career would be cut short."When the safety of several political candidates is threatened in King's Landing, Robb Stark is hired to guard up-and-comer Margaery Tyrell.
Relationships: Robb Stark/Margaery Tyrell
Comments: 71
Kudos: 72





	1. Conversation & Crêpes

“Do you understand your duties, then?”

“Yes, sir.”

Robb Stark stood in front of his superior, his hands folded tightly behind his back. He couldn’t say he wasn’t nervous for his assignment. In fact, he was practically shaking in his boots, only putting on a brave face for Syrio’s sake. But he knew that the firm wouldn’t have appointed him to a high risk client on his first go-round.

Syrio cracked a small smile - a rarity for him - and gave a nod in approval. “I have faith in you. One doesn’t get to the top of their class by just skating by... So shake off that anxiety and do your job. Do it well.”

Robb nodded in return, holding back a smile of his own. As his training had taught him, there was a time and place for showing emotion and it was not in front of one’s superiors. “I will, sir,” he affirmed.

“Glad to hear it,” Syrio said in return, “Your assignment begins first thing tomorrow morning. Mormont will escort you.”

Hearing that news made Robb relax ever so slightly. Dacey was a friend, and someone who had more experience than him in this line of work. If anyone could make him feel more confident about his first assignment as a personal bodyguard, it was her.

“You’re dismissed for the day,” Syrio added, and Robb gave a prompt nod before heading out the office door. 

He immediately let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and loosened his collar as he made his way to the car park. He wasn’t sure how he was meant to spend the rest of his evening now. There was scarcely a moment when he wasn’t training or studying or working out. It had been that way since his father had died.

It was good for him to throw himself into his work and cope with his grief in a productive way. But there were times when he missed laughing with his family, just sitting around the fire and doing nothing but talking and sipping an ale or a hot chocolate.

_“I should call Mum,”_ he thought, reaching for his phone in his back pocket.

His mother sounded pleased when a few minutes later he was telling her that he had been given his first assignment, although she also made no effort to hide her concern. “I know you can’t tell me anything about your posting,” she said, “But I do worry for you down there in King’s Landing. You recall what your father used to call it.”

“A snake pit, I know,” Robb replied, “But you don’t need to worry about me, Mum. It’s my job to keep people safe, remember?”

Robb had certainly never expected to move to the south while he’d been growing up in snowy Winterfell. The capital was very different to his hometown: sprawling and so full of people, yet lonely at the same time. He wouldn’t be living here were it not for the fact that it was where the seat of government was located, which meant it was the best location to be hired as a personal bodyguard.

“I know, Robb. But I want you to keep yourself safe as well,” Catelyn said on the other end. 

His demeanor softened slightly at her words. “I will, Mum. I promise,” he told her, unlocking his car and getting in, “I’ve got to go now. Love you.”

“I love you too,” she remarked. 

He hung up then, giving a small sigh. He thought about getting takeaway for dinner but then remembered there were some frozen meals in his fridge that needed eating, and so he decided to just drive straight home. It would give him more time to look over his case file as well; he wanted to make sure he was completely familiar with his client before meeting her in person.

Syrio had assigned him to guard Margaery Tyrell, a promising young candidate running as Member of Parliament. Her file, which he began to peruse once he’d arrived back at his flat, said she hailed from the Reach, although the seat she was seeking was one of the most coveted in the Crownlands. While his meal was heating up in the microwave, he read all about her daily routine and the protocols in place at different events. The file didn’t contain information about her political platform, and even though it would’ve been easy for Robb to find that out he had no interest in doing so. His job was to protect her from the same fate that had befallen his father, and that was all that mattered.

The TV was on in the background, and Robb hadn’t really been paying attention until he happened to look up at one point and caught a glimpse of two people dancing. It appeared to be some sort of reality show where couples met for the first time on the dancefloor, and he couldn’t help but smile to himself at the notion. 

He almost chuckled then, shaking his head in amusement. His family had always light-heartedly poked fun at him being a romantic, and despite his line of work and the hardships life had thrown at him, that apparently hadn’t changed. 

The microwave beeped, interrupting his thoughts. He stood from his chair and made his way to the kitchen, listening to the television as it switched to a commercial.

_“Tonight on KL-News… Yet another candidate has dropped out of the race for MP. Are there simply too many hands in the pot, or is something more sinister going on? We investigate why Areo Hotah is no longer in the running. This and more at 11.”_

Robb frowned as he stirred the contents of his meal and leant back against the kitchen counter. There had been a troubling amount of threats aimed at just about anyone who wasn’t running as a member of the Goldrock Party. It was widely suspected that the leader of the party, Joffrey Baratheon, was behind the threats, but so far no one had been able to link him to anything criminal. Robb was relieved that at least no violent acts had taken place since his father’s death two years ago.

Margaery was young for a politician, Robb realized as he glanced at the file yet again. She must have worked incredibly hard to be vying for such an important position at the same age as him, and she whether she won or not she clearly had a promising career ahead of her. Robb was going to make sure there was no way that career would be cut short.

He fell asleep early that night to the sound of the rain pouring outside his window. He thought it would do him well to get a decent sleep before what could possibly be the most important day of his career. 

* * *

“Good morning, Stark.”

“Good morning, Mormont.” 

Robb smiled at his colleague, giving a nod of his head in greeting. She was waiting for him outside of the firm, holding a large umbrella over her head as it was still drizzling slightly. He had opted for just a hat and was grateful when she gestured for him to share her umbrella. 

“How are you feeling?” she asked, “Miss. Tyrell’s driver is parked right down the street here. I thought I could help you do a sweep of the car.”

Robb nodded in response to her offer. “I’m feeling fine,” he said without hesitation.

“Of course you are,” Dacey said, directing a smile at him while he returned. He should have known she would be able to see past any front that he tried to put up.

“I should warn you that it seems like Ms. Tyrell isn’t too keen on having a bodyguard,” Dacey informed him as they made their way over to the car.

“Well, most people aren’t, right?” Robb said, “That’s what they told us in training, at least.”

Dacey gave a short laugh. “Right. Until something happens that makes them glad we stuck around… It’s a pretty thankless job, but luckily neither of us are in it for that, eh?”

“Aye,” he agreed. 

“To her credit, she’s pretty damn good at hiding how she really feels,” Dacey continued, “But I was there when her team consulted with the firm, and she was pushing for them not to hire one of us. She thinks the extra security isn’t needed since she hasn’t gotten any threats yet. But you know what I always say.”

“Better safe than sorry,” Robb remarked quietly. They made it past the gate surrounding the car park and were met with the sight of a black SUV. The front door on the driver’s side opened as they approached, and out stepped a tall, clean-shaven man with dark hair.

“This is Osney Kettleblack, Ms. Tyrell’s driver,” Dacey introduced him, upon which he nodded ever so slightly. Osney then moved to open the rear door of the SUV for the woman whose life Robb had been tasked with protecting.

“And this is Ms. Margaery Tyrell,” Dacey added.

_“Gods,”_ Robb thought as she stepped out of the car, _“She’s really beautiful.”_ He could have kicked himself for thinking such things, but he knew it was objectively true. She wore a gold blouse that complemented her complexion, and her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail with a few loose, curling tendrils framing her face. When she turned towards him, her eyes were a piercing shade of blue.

She seemed slightly irked as she stood to her feet, her brow furrowed before she looked him over and _smiled -_ brightly - reaching out her hand to shake his. “Hi,” she greeted him, as if she was meeting an acquaintance rather than her bodyguard. 

He almost said ‘hello’ in return before catching himself. “Ma’am,” he replied, giving her hand a brisk, short shake, “Would you mind standing by while we do a quick sweep of your vehicle?”

“If you’re going to sweep my vehicle I’d hope you’d at least introduce yourself first,” Margaery remarked. For a split second Robb was worried he’d messed up right off the bat, but he then realized she was still smiling. 

“Robb Stark, ma’am,” he told her, daring to give a small smile of his own. 

“Stark? As in Ned Stark?” Margaery asked.

“Aye,” Robb replied, slightly surprised, “My father.”

Her face fell then, and he was taken aback as she placed a hand on his arm. “Oh gods, Robb, I’m so sorry,” she said quietly, her tone sincere, “When I found out what happened, I… Well, I always admired your father’s tenaciousness, even when other people in his position were willing to compromise their morals. He was actually one of the reasons why I was inspired to go into politics.” She paused, and he wasn’t sure if he imagined it, but he thought he saw her cheeks go pink. “I apologize, I should let you get back to your work.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Robb managed to get out, giving a nod of his head. He sidestepped her and knelt down to begin examining the car, his mind reeling. For all Dacey’s talk about Margaery’s reluctance to hire protection, it seemed as if she was more than happy to accommodate him now. He could scarcely believe that his father had made such an impact on the young woman he was now guarding.

He finished checking the rear tires and ducked into the back, his hand gliding under the leather seats. Dacey appeared on the other side, giving him a knowing look. “Looks like you already charmed your way into her good graces,” she muttered teasingly.

Robb shook his head and avoided Dacey’s gaze, doing his best to keep his mind solely on his work. He already felt unprofessional for his earlier thoughts on Margaery’s physical appearance, and the last thing he needed was to be thinking about anything else not related to her safety. Once he had determined his side of the back seat to be fine, he moved on to the front of the car, which thankfully also turned out to present no issues.

“All clear,” Dacey informed Margaery and Osney, “I’ll leave you in Stark’s very capable hands.”

Margaery smiled again. “Thank you,” she remarked, giving a small raise of her eyebrows. She turned to Robb then, her gaze warm. “So… what’s next?” she queried.

“I need to do a sweep of your place of residence now,” he answered, going through the mental checklist of things he was meant to do.

“Right, then,” she said, “Do you mind, Osney?”

“Of course not, Ms. Margaery,” her driver answered, hopping in the front of the car. 

Margaery slid in the backseat, and Robb tentatively followed, shutting the door behind him. He was silent as the engine started up and they began to drive in the direction of the City Centre. 

“Am I allowed to talk to you, or do you need to concentrate?” Margaery spoke up softly.

“I’ve been trained to do both at the same time,” Robb replied, offering up a small smile, “I just wouldn’t advise trying to engage me in a political debate or anything too complicated.”

“Oh, gods, no. I think talking about nothing but politics all day and every day would probably drive me mad,” Margaery said. She hesitated then, almost as if mentally catching herself. “Not that my work isn’t important to me, you understand.”

“I think talking about nothing but my job all day and every day would probably drive me mad, too,” Robb said, hoping to reassure her.

Margaery laughed, and Robb felt a flutter in his chest, alarming himself slightly. _“Pull yourself together,”_ he thought, though it was difficult when she leaned in a little closer and he could smell her perfume.

“So what do you do when you’re not working?” she asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. 

“Erm, well, I’ve mostly just had time for training during the past couple of years, but before that I was rather fond of rowing and spending time with my family.”

“I’m also rather close with my family,” Margaery said, “I have three older brothers… Though you probably already know all of this from my file.” She gave another laugh, but this one seemed less because she was amused and more because she was annoyed. 

“I’d rather hear it from you, though,” Robb admitted, “Besides, your file wouldn’t tell me...which of your brothers you’re closest to, or what it was like growing up in the Reach.”

Her expression seemed to soften then. “Growing up in the Reach was like a dream, especially when I look back on it now. I feel very lucky to have had the childhood that I did,” she said, “And I’m probably closest to the youngest of my brothers, Loras. I’m close to them all in different ways, though.”

She paused for a moment, looking to be considering her words. “I’m sorry, it feels wrong of me to ask how many siblings you have because I already know… It must have been tough to have all of that media attention on you when you were so young.”

Robb nodded, somewhat surprised at Margaery extending him such understanding and kindness. “My dad did his best to shelter us from it, honestly,” he admitted quietly, “There were times when the rumors and tabloids slipped through the cracks, but they were rare.”

“That’s good,” Margaery replied as they pulled up to a rather large apartment complex. “This is me,” she told him, “Do you need to go ahead of me, or…?”

“Aye,” Robb answered, “Sorry, I know this will take a bit of getting used to.”

“Do all bodyguards chat as much as you?” a voice piped up from the front of the car. Robb wasn’t sure if Margaery’s driver was expecting a response, but he chose not to give him one as he instead stepped out of the car. 

“All clear,” he declared when he reached the other side. Kettleblack, who had also gotten out, almost seemed to roll his eyes before he moved to open the door for Margaery.

Margaery stepped out of the car, narrowing her eyes slightly at her driver. “Be nice, Osney. I’m the one who kept asking Robb questions,” she said quietly, “I’ll let you know if I need you for anything else, but I don’t think I’m going into the office today. I’ll work from home.”

Kettleblack paused before giving a curt nod and getting back into the vehicle. 

“I’m sorry about him,” Margaery remarked, pursing her lips together, “I suppose neither of us are used to this sort of thing, but that doesn’t give him the right to be unprofessional. You’re just trying to do your job.”

“No apology needed, ma’am,” Robb assured her, wondering if Kettleblack might not have a point. Especially given that this was his first real assignment, he might want to be more careful about avoiding distractions. Not being distracted by Margaery, though, was clearly going to be a lot easier in theory than in practice.

The agency had already given his details to the doorman at Margaery’s apartment complex, so nobody batted an eyelid when he went inside ahead of her and held the door open. Her flat was on the 3rd floor and was accessed by a key inserted into the elevator, which Robb had also been given. He ran through all of the information from her file in his head just as he’d been taught to; analyzing each aspect of her daily routine and imagining where potential threats could arise.

Margaery leaned back against the wall of the elevator and gave Robb a grin. He had endured many adrenaline-pumping drills during his bodyguard training sessions, but he wasn’t sure any of them quite made his heart beat the way Margaery’s smile did.

“Did my bellend of a driver discourage you from talking?” she queried, raising her eyebrows playfully, “I just might have to sack him.”

Robb couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. It was really unfair how naturally charming his client was, and it didn’t surprise him that she was such a popular candidate. He _was_ surprised, however, by how much he already liked her. “Well, I wouldn’t fire him for something so trivial,” he jested in return, allowing himself to let his guard down if only for a moment, “But I did notice him speed up during a yellow light.”

Margaery gave an overly dramatic gasp. “Shocking,” she declared, her tone still light, “I’m sure you’d never do such a thing.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Robb affirmed, “Certainly not as an adult. I have probably done similarly foolish things as a teenager, though, so I shouldn’t judge.”

“Teenage boys and their cars,” Margaery said, shaking her head with a smile.

“Oh, I wasn’t driving a _car_ when I was a teenager, ma’am,” Robb noted.

Margaery’s mouth fell ajar. “Pardon?” she asked, but the elevator dinged then, stopping on the third floor.

“Sorry, ma’am, but I ought to get back to my job,” he declared cheekily, stepping out of the lift.

“Oh, that’s not fair,” Margaery said as she swiftly followed behind him, “You said you can talk and work at the same time… So tell me how you managed to convince your parents to let you ride a motorcycle as a teenager.”

“I never said it was a motorcycle.”

“What else would it be? I can’t imagine you’d be able to zoom through any yellow lights on a scooter.”

Robb laughed as he reached the flat that he knew to be Margaery’s from her case file, though he sobered up a bit as he withdrew the correct key on his lanyard and made to insert it into the lock. “I really do have to be serious for a bit here, ma’am,” he told her softly, “Just while I do a sweep of your place. It shouldn’t take me more than ten minutes if you’re all right to wait in the corridor.”

“Of course,” Margaery replied, giving him a nod and a small smile which made his heartbeat speed up again.

“Thank you,” he said, “If there are no issues, once I’m done I’ll be out of your way.”

“Already?” Margaery asked with a slightly furrowed brow, “I feel like we just met.”

“Since you’re going to be working from home, there’s no need for me to stay here once I’ve determined the location is secure,” Robb explained, “I’ll ask that you please let me know if your plans change. From now on, we’ll have meetings in the morning to go over your itinerary.”

Margaery took a small half-step in front of the door, running her tongue along her bottom lip. “What if I ordered us brunch?” she suggested, her eyes bright, “Would you be allowed to stay for a bit and enjoy some food?”

Robb hoped his face didn’t look too dumbfounded before he recovered from his client’s words. “I suppose I could-” 

“Excellent,” Margaery interjected, clearly keen on not letting him change his mind, “Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences? Or shall I just surprise you?”

“I...think you’ve already proven quite good at surprises, ma’am,” Robb replied, breaking into a grin despite himself. 

He could have sworn he saw her cheeks flush pink then as she stepped out of his way. “Sorry to delay your work again,” she said softly, a grin still itching at her lips, “I’ll just wait out here and order us some food… That was a ‘yes’ on the surprise, right?”

“Yes ma’am,” he replied, finally unlocking the door to her flat, “I’ll let you know when I’m finished.”

She nodded, and he stepped inside, immediately starting his sweep. It was much easier to concentrate without Margaery around, though the scent of her perfume seemed to linger in the air. Her apartment was relatively modest and rather immaculate, and there was only one bedroom to check. It didn’t take him long to survey the area, though he made sure to look over some of the more susceptible places.

“All clear?” Margaery asked when he returned to the front door, raising her eyebrows as the corner of her mouth turned up ever so slightly.

“All clear,” Robb replied. He had to work to keep a straight face and he was fairly sure Margaery knew it.

“Fantastic. I’ve ordered us crêpes from the best crêperie in King’s Landing,” she declared, “You won’t be disappointed.” She walked past him to place her bag down on the counter, then proceeded to take off her jacket and hang it up by the door. 

“Please, make yourself at home,” she added, gesturing to the sofa, “Would you like anything to drink?”

He immediately shook his head. “No thank you, ma’am. You’ve already done enough… I wouldn’t want to put you out.”

“Nonsense. I’m sure you’re going to want something to drink once our crêpes arrive, so why don’t I get you started?” she suggested, already moving towards the kitchen. “I have… grapefruit juice, sparkling water, milk, and good old filtered water, of course.”

“Milk would be great, thank you,” he relented, taking a seat. There was a picture of Margaery surrounded by her three brothers resting on the table, and it made him smile. “You have a lovely apartment, if you don’t mind my saying so.”

“Oh, thank you.” He heard her put a glass down on the counter and then open her fridge. “If I’m being honest, I don’t usually like spending a lot of time here. I grew up in a big family as you know, so...it gets a bit quiet.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” Robb admitted. He never thought he’d miss the sound of his sisters arguing or his brothers fighting, and yet there were some days in his apartment where he would’ve even been content with having to listen to baby Rickon cry all night. “So where do you go instead?” he asked Margaery.

“Work,” Margaery admitted as she walked back into the living room, “I like campaigning. Especially the part that involves actually meeting the people I’m hoping will be my constituents.” 

She handed him a glass and then sat down next to him, rather close in spite of the fact that the couch was pretty spacious. 

“Thank you,” he murmured, his cheeks going hot when her fingers brushed against his. He gently cleared his throat. “I read that you had a pretty important debate coming up soon.”

“Ah, yes,” she replied, nodding enthusiastically, “My forte... That’s actually what I was going to work on today. Answering hypothetical questions and what not. I’ll wait until you leave to rehearse, don’t worry.”

Robb laughed. “Why would I be worried?”

“Well, for one, it’s a bit sad to watch a woman pacing around her apartment all alone, talking to an invisible moderator and opponents.”

“That’s not sad. Sitting in your apartment all alone watching reality television, that’s sad. Not that you would ever catch me doing such a thing, of course,” Robb teased, and it was Margaery’s turn to laugh. “Anyway, I could always stand in for someone if you like,” he added.

“Is that a challenge, Robb Stark?”

Robb shook his head with a chuckle. “By someone, I think I meant the moderator.”

“That would be very helpful, thank you,” she replied softly, looking up at him through her lashes and making the tips of his ears go hot, “I have a list of questions prepared, so all you’d really have to do is read them off for me... And maybe keep some of my invisible opponents in check.” 

He snapped back to attention when the doorbell rang, realizing he hadn’t thought about his job since he’d sat down on the couch. “I’ll get it,” he insisted, hastily getting up and making his way to the door. He peered through the keyhole and saw the delivery boy with a bag in his hand. 

“Don’t forget the tip!” Margaery piped up from behind him, and when he turned towards her, he saw her waving a bill in her hand.

“I’ve got it, ma’am. It’s the least I can do,” he offered, taking his wallet out of his pocket and opening the door.

The delivery man looked rather surprised to see him, which Robb thought was odd until he realized he probably did look a bit intimidating in his suit. 

“Thank you,” Robb said as he took the bag and handed over the tip. The other man merely nodded and muttered a few words in goodbye before making himself scarce. 

“Thank _you_ ,” Margaery said softly, “You really didn’t have to.”

“It’s no trouble, ma’am. It’s probably best if I answer the door from now on, when I’m here.”

She nodded her head. “Of course… Though I do have another question.”

“What’s that?” he asked, closing the door behind him.

“Do you _have_ to call me ma’am?” she inquired, giving a teasing smile, “I’d much prefer if you just called me by my name.”

“Oh, erm… That’s fine,” he agreed, giving her the bag of takeaway. “Margaery,” he added. He almost said something about how it was a beautiful name, but he caught himself.

She grinned. “So… I got one savory crêpe and one sweet. Would you like to split them with me? They’re rather filling.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Robb agreed, “And I’m sorry if I offended you, m...Margaery. We’re supposed to refer to our clients formally as a sign of respect.”

“Oh, I know. No offence taken,” Margaery assured him. She began to busy herself with taking their food out of the bag, then went to the kitchen to get some plates. “Forgive me, Robb, and please feel free not to answer if you don’t want to, but...are you new to this?”

Robb’s brow furrowed. “I...you are my first official client, Margaery, but I can assure you I’ve had extensive training and practice.” 

“Oh, I have no concerns,” she remarked, her tone kind, “And besides that, you’re my first official bodyguard. So even if you made a mistake, I wouldn’t know.” She gave a small laugh before setting his food in front of him and handing him a fork. “I only ask because you seem quite young. Not because you did anything out of turn,” she told him as she took a seat.

“We’re the same age,” he said, “Well, I’m a few months younger than you, but-”

“When is your birthday?” Margaery asked excitedly, already digging into her crêpes. 

Robb smiled softly, feeling touched that Margaery had asked. “The thirteenth of September,” he replied.

“I will make a note of that,” she asserted, “just as soon as I’ve finished my half of this. You really ought to help yourself to some before I eat it all.”

“Aye, sorry. It looks delicious,” Robb said, moving his fork towards the plate, “You’re just a little distracting sometimes. That won’t stop me from keeping you safe, though, don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried.” Margaery directed her smile at him, and when his heart started to thump in his chest again Robb wondered if he was the one who should be worried.


	2. Denial & Danger

Margaery let out a small laugh as she tugged on Robb's arm, pulling him into shelter and out of the torrential downpour. 

It had been a couple of weeks since he was first assigned as her bodyguard, and as Robb settled into the position, he began to feel more comfortable with his duties as well as his client. It was a little unorthodox, he knew, to be so familiar with someone he was meant to be guarding. 

They spent most of their days together - debriefing early in the morning, grabbing takeaway for lunch, practicing for upcoming events and debates. He had become a regular member of her campaign staff, but he found that more often than not she favored working with him and him alone, ignoring the looks that her campaign manager gave her when she brushed him off. He couldn't say much as she was polling better than ever. Whatever she and Robb were doing was working. 

Margaery often said that he was her lucky charm, but he could see how hard she was working to increase voter interest. Though he still felt somewhat uneasy about the friendship that had blossomed between them, he figured it was fine so long as he continued to do his job and kept her safe.

"Gods, it's  _ pouring _ ," she exclaimed, letting go of him and folding up her umbrella, "I hope there's still a decent turnout."

“I’m sure there will be,” Robb affirmed, “You always get a good turnout.” He shook his head a little, causing water droplets to fall from his curls. He had kept the umbrella mainly over Margaery and in doing so hadn’t quite escaped the rain completely dry. “Besides, they’re students. Just talk about free education and they’ll be cheering you so loudly that it won’t matter how many there are.”

“Good point,” Margaery noted with a grin, “Why don’t I have you on my staff again, Stark?”

“You can’t afford me, Tyrell,” Robb shot back teasingly, “Not if I’m going to be your bodyguard as well.”

She reached up to flick a curl out of his face. “Smart-ass,” she muttered, still smiling.

“Better a smart-ass than a dumb-ass,” he quipped, making her laugh again. 

“Shall I wait here while you scope out the building?” 

“You should come inside,” he suggested, “It’ll be better for me to keep an eye on you, and besides that, I’d miss your company.”

He had continued on their conversation with a jestful tone, but her cheeks flushed at his words, causing him to think twice about what he shared aloud. 

“I’d miss you, too,” she said in return, her smile warm.

It wasn’t the first time Robb found himself wanting to reach for Margaery’s hand, but he always dismissed the notion as soon as it came to him. Sometimes he wondered if she ever had similar thoughts to him, particularly in times like these when it was just the two of them. The very last thing he wanted was to ever lose her trust, however, and that was why those thoughts could never leave his mind. 

“Does it feel strange to be back?” Robb asked on their way into the building.

“At my old uni? A little,” Margaery conceded, “It’s changed a lot since the big Lannister donation. You should’ve seen what the sport fields looked like compared to what they are now.”

He laughed as he listened to her, all the while looking around the building for any signs of potential threats. He had scoped out the place the night before, but he knew anything could have happened between then and now. 

“You didn’t go to uni, did you?” she asked, “I bet you’d be brilliant at it if you ever decided to.”

He felt his cheeks go hot. “I don’t know about that,” he admitted, “I’m not even sure what I would study.”

“Hmm, let me think,” Margaery said, tapping a finger against her chin playfully, “Forestry? Physical therapy? ...Modeling?”

“I think you must have studied flattery along with political science,” Robb remarked, certain his face was turning red. 

Margaery chuckled. “It’s not flattery, just the truth. You might have to grow at least some stubble, though, if you were to be a model. Facial hair seems to be very fashionable these days.”

“Well, I wouldn’t mind that part. It might be nice not having to shave as often,” Robb noted. He turned another corner, looked over his shoulder and was satisfied for now that the area was safe. “All clear, Margaery,” he told her.

“Thank you, Robb. You’re the best,” she replied with a smile that made him weak in the knees, “I owe you thanks for reassuring me as well… I always feel a little nervous before these things, but you never cease to make things better.”

He shook his head. “It’s nothing,” he remarked, “I’m more than happy to do whatever I can to help you out.”

She moved a bit closer to him, worrying her bottom lip. “Robb, you-”

Margaery was interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and he stood up straighter, instinctively stepping in front of her before he realized her manager had joined them.

“Margaery?” Talbert Serry spoke up, “Can we have a quick word about the speech? Sharis wants to make some changes to the language.”

Margaery looked confused. “Anything specific?” she asked.

“She thinks you might want to go easy on the call for more funding for the arts,” Talbert explained, “Everyone our people have spoken to here is pretty happy with the investments that have been made in sport.”

“So am I,” Margaery pointed out, “You can enjoy sport and still think that more money should be dedicated to other pursuits that aren’t as spectacularly well-funded.” 

Talbert gave a sigh. “Sharis said you weren’t going to back down... “

Robb couldn’t help but smile to himself at the other man’s comment. Margaery’s perseverance was something he truly admired about her.

“If you’re ready, then,” her manager continued, “We’ll get the sound people to come round and do a mic check before we let the crowds in… Stark, have you looked over the-”

“Sound booth? On it,” Robb interjected with a nod of his head before he turned to Margaery. “I’ll be right back, ma’am. Just give me a ring if you need me,” he said, only addressing her formally because of their present company. 

“Thanks again,” she remarked quietly, her expression softening. She reached over to give his arm a small squeeze, making his head go a bit dizzy.

Robb tried to forget about whatever Margaery had been about to say to him before they were interrupted, which thankfully wasn’t too difficult once he was focused on his job. He checked the sound booth thoroughly, and then after doing so walked to his strategically located position near the back of the room. The doors had been opened and attendees soon started pouring in; as usual, Margaery had attracted quite a crowd.

One aspect of his job that Robb did find tricky on occasion was not getting distracted watching Margaery speak. She had a knack for holding her audience, which was as evident as always once the room was filled and she stepped out on stage. He loved listening to her talk about her ideas, and the passion with which she delivered them was infectious. It was truly no wonder to him that she was doing so well in the polls.

Margaery had just finished a very impassioned segment about environmental policy when she gave a pause, causing Robb to stand up straighter and glance around the room, making sure she hadn’t been distracted by anything. 

“I just wanted to take a moment to address the fact that I’m back at my alma mater, giving a speech on a stage that I never could have imagined would be reserved for me,” she remarked. Robb relaxed, even giving a small smile when he saw Margaery do the same. “I can’t thank you all enough for coming here to support me. I know how precious time is when you’re at university, and you giving up your Wednesday afternoon to be here is extremely admira-”

“Get off the stage!” someone yelled from the back of the auditorium, interrupting her, “Get out of here, you stupid bitch!”

Robb’s entire body tensed. On a personal level, he was quite shocked and offended on Margaery’s behalf that someone would be so brazenly rude at one of her events. From a professional standpoint, he was on alert as this person had now become a potential danger. He scanned the crowd, quickly locating a young man with a perfectly trim blond head of hair. To Margaery’s credit, though she had paused and blinked for just a moment at the man, she continued with her speech undeterred. Robb, for his part, moved into the man’s line of sight so he could stare him down. 

“I wouldn’t be here standing in front of you if I didn’t believe wholeheartedly in-” Margaery attempted to continue.

“Shut up!” the man called out again, “Fuck off, you stupid bitch!”

Robb took a step forward, fully planning on escorting the crude man out of the building. But before he could make any such move, the other man started to move forward through the crowd towards the stage, still shouting obscenities. 

There were a few worried gasps and yelps from the students as the man pushed his way through them, heading straight in Margaery’s direction.

Robb didn’t hesitate in his next actions, not taking his eyes off of the young blond man even as he heard Margaery shout his name worriedly from the podium behind him. He rushed ahead, dodging several students and then tackling the perpetrator to the ground.

He felt some resistance, but Robb had been able to tell from his build that the man he had pinned down was no match for him in a struggle. Though there were a lot of raised voices and confusion around him, Robb was only marginally aware of it all, instead occupied with scanning the potential assailant’s body for weapons. He found a small knife in the man’s jacket pocket, which only made him more secure in his decision to act as he had.

“Robb?” Margaery’s voice was the only one that managed to cut through his focus. 

“Stay back, please, ma’am!” Robb called out immediately. His tone was a lot harsher than he would have normally used with her, but his priority was to ensure she stayed safe. 

Out of his peripherals he could see Margaery approaching, but she stopped when he told her to. He quickly flipped the other man over and secured his hands behind his back so that he couldn’t move. 

“All students exit the building to the rear!” an authoritative voice announced from the microphone, “In an orderly and calm fashion, please.”

Campus Police had made their way over to Robb by then, one of them pulling a pair of handcuffs from their belt and handing them over to him. “Thank you,” he muttered, cuffing the perpetrator as another security officer hurried to usher students out of the auditorium. 

“Sorry for the trouble, Ms. Tyrell,” one of the campus officers said to Margaery. Robb saw her shake her head out of the corner of his eye. 

“It’s fine,” she insisted, “Robb? Are you OK?”

“Everything’s in order, ma’am,” Robb asserted. His curt reply was an attempt to deflect the odd looks a couple of the officers were giving him following Margaery’s comment. “He had this on him,” Robb informed Campus Police, handing one of them the pocket knife.

The officer nodded. “Backup is on the way. We can take him into our custody now.” 

The students had cleared out of the building, and the perpetrator had surprisingly gone quiet. Robb was somewhat reluctant to hand him over to Campus Police, but he had no reason not to trust them to deal with the situation appropriately. He conceded, stepping out of the way to let the officers do their job.

Once he was certain the threat had been detained, he turned to face Margaery, alarmed when he saw tears in her eyes. 

Talbert came running over, his brow furrowed. “Seven hells, Margaery, are you alright? What an arse…”

Margaery merely nodded, her gaze having fallen on Talbert for only a moment before she looked at Robb again.

“Would you like to return home, ma’am?” Robb asked. When Margary hesitated, he lowered his voice and spoke more softly the second time. “I think it would be the safest option, Margaery.”

“I...all right,” Margaery conceded.

“We’ll put out a statement,” Talbert offered, “I’ll make sure to say you’re eager to return to speak here again.”

“Thank you, Talbert. We can discuss strategy at another time,” Margaery said quietly, “Please, if you would escort me out, Robb.”

Robb was quick to honor his client’s request, leading her through the building to the back entrance where they had come in. He felt his heart sink slightly as she didn’t speak; he had never seen her so defeated and upset before.

They were almost to the exit when she turned towards him and flung her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. “I was so worried about you,” she murmured, “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Robb was still for a moment, taken aback by Margaery’s sudden gesture of affection. In his mind, he was running through all the reasons why it would be a bad idea to hug her in return, and the fact that maybe he was already closer than he should be with the woman he was meant to be guarding. However, he felt her warmth against him and caught the smell of her perfume and before he knew it he was wrapping his arms around her waist. 

“Of course I’m OK,” he said softly, “Let me do the worrying, all right? I’m pretty sure it’s in my job description.”

He was pleased that his words made Margaery chuckle a little.

She drew back then, folding her hands in front of her. “Forgive me, it’s just that when you tackled that man and I couldn’t see what was happening for a few moments… I feared the worst.” 

He watched as her eyes filled with tears again, and he yearned to reach out and comfort her once more, but he refrained from doing so. “I really am alright, I promise you,” he remarked, “Later tonight or tomorrow I’ll get a debriefing from security, and hopefully we can prevent something like this from happening again. For both my sake and yours.”   
  
“Good, because I don’t know what I’d do if you were to ever get hurt,” Margaery said, her face going pink. Robb felt his heartbeat quicken.

“I don’t know what I’d do if  _ you _ were to ever get hurt,” he heard himself say quietly.

“That’s also in your job description, I suppose,” Margaery remarked with a small, sad smile.

“Not just because it’s my job.”

His words seemed to linger in the air and he wondered if he even should have said them at all.

“Let’s get you home,” he added hurriedly, before Margaery had a chance to say anything.

Margaery gave a short nod. Robb couldn’t help but notice that she seemed to be in much brighter spirits as they exited the building, even biting back a smile. “Thank you, by the way, for today,” she said softly, “I never have to worry about feeling safe whenever you’re around.”

Robb was thankful that Osney was waiting for them just outside as Margaery’s sentiments had rendered him temporarily speechless. He had originally chalked his feelings up to a simple crush, something he’d hoped would dissipate with time, but it was getting more and more difficult to deny how much he truly cared for her.

“What happened in there, Ms. Margaery?” Osney inquired while he opened the door for them, “I saw all of the students evacuate the building, and a few police cars just pulled up around front.”

“An individual took it upon himself to ruin a perfectly good campaign rally,” Margaery explained, “Thankfully Robb stepped in and nobody was hurt.”

“Goodness,” Osney remarked, “That all sounds rather alarming. Thank the gods that you were there, Stark.”

“Thank the gods that it wasn’t a worse threat,” Robb amended, “I am going to recommend we increase security protocols based on this, Margaery. I think we should treat this as a warning.”

Margaery nodded her head, reaching out to place her hand on Robb’s arm. “Whatever you think is best,” she agreed, “I trust you to make the right decisions on this matter.”

Robb noticed Osney look between them curiously, and he hastened to get in the car, his client not following far behind. 

“Osney, could you put the partition up, please?” Margaery asked once they were all situated, “Mr. Stark and I have a lot to discuss.”

Osney hesitated, and Robb could almost picture him narrowing his eyes the way he often did. He did as Margaery asked, however, and in a few seconds Robb could no longer see him behind the rolled up partition.

“What would you like me to start with?” Robb asked, turning to Margaery, “I have some suggestions for…”

“Did you mean what you said?” Margaery asked, interrupting him with the softest of tones. “About worrying about me not just because it’s your job?”

Robb blinked a couple of times, pausing to try to let his mouth catch up to his brain. “Ma’am, I…” he started, not quite meeting her gaze, “I really think we should concentrate on nailing down these protocols right now… for your safety.”

Margaery nodded, running her tongue along her bottom lip. “Of course, Robb,” she murmured, tilting her head to meet his gaze and offering a smile. “Let’s get started.”


	3. Cakes & Canines

Several months had passed since the incident at King’s Landing University, and during that time Robb had done his best to maintain a professional relationship with his client. He kept a respectful distance, avoided spending time with her alone, and tried to limit their conversations to purely work-related topics. Still, his feelings towards Margaery seemed to grow every day that they spent together, and she only seemed to grow more affectionate towards him despite his stoic demeanor. 

Things had been very quiet as far as security was concerned, as they had taken the proper precautions to prevent threats and aggressors. The same couldn’t be said of some of Margaery’s opponents, however, and several more had dropped out after being threatened with blackmail. 

Robb currently had the day to himself while Margaery was working from home and, surprisingly, hadn’t invited him to help her. Election day was rapidly approaching, and he knew he would be working far more often in the upcoming weeks. He decided to take advantage of his time off, waking up early and going for a run in the nearby park.

Though he didn’t spend a lot of time away from Margaery, he had increasingly found that whenever he did, she remained on his mind. Today was no exception, and he barely noticed the people walking by him in the park. As music played in his earbuds, all he could do was wonder whether Margaery had listened to this artist or think to himself that she might like that song. 

Only very occasionally did he allow himself to think about what his future might look like. Margaery could win, which he thought was likely, or she could lose, and either way she would probably ask him to remain her bodyguard. He would agree, since he couldn’t imagine not protecting her now, but even he had to admit that pushing his feelings for her to the back of his mind was getting harder and harder.

He was in the middle of his cool-down stretches when he got a blaring notification on his phone, causing several of the passersby in the park to shoot him a dirty look. “Sorry,” he muttered as he reached for his cell in his pocket, his heart immediately sinking when he saw the red alert flashing. 

He made a split second decision to run the couple of blocks to Margaery’s apartment complex instead of catching a cab; it would take just as long if not longer to flag someone down. He nearly ran into a few people in his singlemindedness to get to his client, but he didn’t care. He had linked his phone to the alarm system in her apartment only a few weeks prior, and his mind was swimming with worst-case scenarios. 

One of those scenarios seemed to be coming to life before his very eyes when he reached Margaery’s building and sprinted up the backstairs to the third floor, purposefully avoiding the elevator. He could hear her fire alarm going off by now, and see thin trails of smoke coming from the door. 

“MARGAERY?” he called out desperately. He barely touched the door handle and, when he found it wasn’t hot, inserted his key to open it. There was more smoke waiting for him on the other side, but thankfully the temperature in the room didn’t feel particularly high. “Margaery?” he said again, “Can you hear me?”

“Robb?” Margaery casually rounded the corner, waving a dish rag to clear the smoke in the air. “What are you doing here? Isn’t it your day off?”

Robb could only blink a couple of times, his heart still pounding wildly in his chest. The fire alarm was still beeping loudly, but he saw no signs of flames, and to his relief, Margaery seemed to be fine. “The alert… on my phone…” he breathed out, suddenly feeling rather foolish.

“Oh gods, I’m such an idiot,” she murmured, bringing a hand up to her head. She was bare-faced and her hair was thrown up in a messy bun, but he couldn’t help but think that she looked beautiful. “I didn’t even think about the alarm… I’m so sorry, Robb. I was just attempting to bake a cake, but I left it too long in the oven, and-”

Robb let out a small laugh in relief then, shaking his head before he lunged forward to pull Margaery into a hug.

If she was surprised at all by his gesture he didn’t notice, and he almost immediately felt her wrap her arms around him in return. “What’s all this about?” he heard her ask with a giggle.

“I’m just glad you’re all right,” Robb replied. He allowed himself to hold on to her for just a few seconds longer before he pulled away, clearing his throat. “Sorry. I just realized you probably didn’t want a hug from someone who came from a run and went up three flights of stairs. I must stink.”

“You smell fine,” Margaery insisted, “Better than my burnt cake.”

He laughed again, allowing himself to really breathe for the first time he entered her apartment. The alarm had stopped, and the smoke had started to clear. Margaery reached for the nearest window and opened it to air the place out.

“I should have just  _ bought _ a cake,” she continued, raising her eyebrows, “But I really wanted to make it blackberry flavored because I know it’s your favorite. Maybe some of it is still salvageable…” 

Robb wondered if he had heard her correctly. The adrenaline was still rushing to his head, and he thought it might be affecting his judgement. “You were baking a cake… for me?” he questioned, watching her move to the kitchen and open the oven door.

“Of course,” Margaery said, directing a small smile at him, “It wouldn’t be much of a birthday without a cake, now would it?”

Robb could feel his face turning red and he just hoped it wasn’t overly noticeable. “Margaery, you really didn’t have to…” he insisted, “That’s a lot of trouble to go through for someone.”

“Well, it’s just...I know that you’re on your own here in King’s Landing, and you had said nobody would be coming to visit you for your birthday. You deserved to celebrate it.”

“I...don’t even know what to say,” Robb admitted. He broke into a smile, taking both of Margaery’s hands gently in his own. “Thank you, Margaery.”

She ducked her head, her cheeks growing pink. “You can thank me once I fix this cake situation,” she teased, giving his hands a squeeze, “Your birthday  _ is  _ tomorrow, right? Meaning I have all afternoon to try not to burn another one of my culinary creations.”

“Aye, yes,” he answered, finding he really didn’t wish to let go of her grip. He had very nearly forgotten about his birthday altogether and couldn’t believe that Margaery remembered when they hadn’t discussed the subject in ages.

“Good,” she replied with a grin, “Well, I was going to wait to give you your present tomorrow, but since you’re already here, would you like it now? After I clean up this mess, of course.”

“What do you mean?” Robb asked, “Wasn’t the cake going to be my present?”

“Oh, no. A cake and a present are two very different things.”

“I’m learning all kinds of things about birthdays today,” Robb joked with a chuckle, “I’m happy to receive my present whenever you would like me to, Margaery. I’m also happy to help you clean up.”

Margaery shook her head. “Nonsense. If I may teach you something else, you’re not supposed to do housework on your birthday, either.”

Robb tried to protest further, but Margaery seemed insistent. “Well, I suppose…” he ultimately, “I would just feel strange sitting around while you tidy up. Perhaps I could go back to my place and have a shower?”

“You can have a shower here, if you like,” Margaery offered, “There’s that spare set of clothes you left here in case you needed it.”

Robb did his best not to let his shock show, though he could feel his mouth fall slightly ajar at her sentiments. He  _ knew _ it was probably a terrible idea to have a shower in Margaery’s apartment. Just the notion alone made him feel incredibly vulnerable, and he would be crossing into intimate territory unexplored before. 

Margaery was looking at him expectantly as if she had just made the most innocent suggestion in the world. He gave a slow nod of his head. 

“Sure,” he relented, trying to be nonchalant, “Don’t go starting anymore fires while I’m in the shower.”

She giggled, shaking her head in amusement. “You’re never going to let me live this one down, are you?” she jested, raising her eyebrows, “I’m sure you already know this, but spare towels are in the hallway closet.”

“Aye, thank you,” Robb said with a nod, although in truth he was only half paying attention to what Margaery was telling him. His mind was far too busy worried about the line that he felt as though he was already crossing. “I’ll see you in a bit,” he added, turning to make his way down the corridor. 

He was already quite familiar with the layout of Margaery’s apartment and indeed was supposed to be, and yet he had to remind himself which was the door that led to the bathroom. After stepping inside he made sure the latch was on before he took off his clothes, putting them in a small, neat pile by the door and getting in the shower.

He was normally fast but he tried to be even faster, not wanting to linger in Margaery’s bathroom any longer than he needed to. When he caught sight of her shampoo out of the corner of his eye, however, his mind inevitably went to her, and he thought about how that was probably what he could smell in her hair whenever he was close enough. He was still completely in awe over the fact that she had not only remembered his birthday, but attempted to bake him a cake and also gotten him some sort of present. The part of his mind that wasn’t worried about anything compromising his ability to do his job couldn’t help but think about what a kind, compassionate person Margaery was. He knew how much she genuinely cared for all the people around her, and that only made him like her even more. It would be easy to fall for her, he was aware, and he might have already started falling.

Once he was done, he turned off the water and pushed open the door. It was only when he reached to grab a towel that he realized he’d forgotten something very important. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath.

‘ _ You’ve got to be kidding me,’ _ he thought to himself. Margaery’s suggestion had, apparently, rendered him temporarily brain dead. He waited a moment or two and tried to drip dry a little bit before stepping out of the shower and gently propping the door open just a crack.

He was surprised by the sound of Margaery singing, her voice carrying throughout the small apartment. The lyrics were unfamiliar to him, but from what he could make out, it was most definitely a love song. He couldn’t help but smile at the sweet sound.

“Margaery?” he called out softly once she took a pause, “Sorry to interrupt you.”

“Robb?” Margaery called back, “Is everything OK?”

“Aye, everything’s fine, I just, um...I forgot to get a towel.” He cringed as the words left his mouth, feeling incredibly embarrassed about having to ask his next question. “I’m sorry. Would you mind…”

“Oh, I can fetch one for you. Don’t worry,” Margaery replied, “Hang on.”

“Thank you,” Robb called back. He then waited for what seemed like an eternity, even though it was only the time it took for Margaery to presumably go to the closet and come back. 

“Here you are,” Margaery’s voice announced. A towel appeared at the door then, and he cautiously took hold of it, slipping it around his waist. He had thought that she might just leave it outside on the floor for him, but she seemed to be far more unabashed about their situation than he was.

“I won’t mention you forgetting a towel ever again if you won’t mention my cooking mishap ever again,” she teased from the hallway, making him laugh. 

He admired how she could always turn any unfortunate incident around. “Deal,” he agreed, closing his eyes when he remembered the other very important item that had slipped his mind, “Only you’re going to wonder if my head isn’t quite screwed on straight when I tell you that I forgot my spare clothing as well.”

He could hear Margaery’s laughter from the other side of the door, and it made him smile even through his disconcertion. Her next words, however, quickly wiped the grin from his face. “Oh, you don’t have to get dressed in the bathroom. It’ll probably be easier if you just get dressed in my room,” she suggested.

Robb tried but failed to come up with an appropriate excuse. “Oh, but...well, I...are you sure?” he asked.

“Of course. I’ll head back to the kitchen,” she said, making him feel somewhat relieved.

He waited until he heard her walk away before hastily making his way to her bedroom and shutting the door behind him. He wasn’t sure if he was being overanxious or if Margaery truly had no qualms about letting her bodyguard run around her apartment in nothing but a towel. 

_ ‘Perhaps her feelings towards you are strictly platonic,’ _ he reasoned, but was surprised by how much that thought hurt. He shook his head.  _ ‘Even if she was falling for you as well, nothing could ever happen.’ _

He hurried to dry off and put on his clothing, trying to think of something,  _ anything  _ apart from fancying the young woman who was all but a few paces down the hallway from him. 

“Let me know when you’re ready to go!” he heard Margaery’s voice call out from afar when he was about halfway dressed. 

“Go?” he echoed, confused. 

“Yes, sorry, I didn’t say,” Margaery called back, “Your present isn’t actually here.”

“What exactly do you have up your sleeve, Margaery?” he asked with a chuckle, pulling on his shirt and then buttoning it up.

He opened the door then and was greeted by the sight of her leaning against the wall, a knowing smile on her face. Somehow she’d managed to intricately braid her hair and put on some makeup as well as clean the kitchen in the time it took him to shower and dress. He was truly in awe of her sometimes. 

“You’ll find out soon enough,” she said simply, reaching for his hand and leading him towards the door. “Do you have everything you need?”

“You tell me,” Robb replied with a chuckle, “I’m following your lead.”

“Good. You won’t regret it, I promise.”

* * *

“Is this it, Ms Margaery?” Osney inquired, peering out of the windshield of the car. They had stopped outside of a large building of some kind, but it wasn’t immediately obvious to Robb what it was.

“Aye, thank you, Osney,” Margaery said, “This is the place.”

“Aye?” Robb echoed, his curiosity taking a brief backseat as he raised an eyebrow playfully at Margaery.

“Oh, goodness. I didn’t even realize.” She grinned at him. “I must be spending too much time with you.”

Robb could almost see Osney rolling his eyes, but for once he didn’t care. Margaery had convinced him that he deserved to have a good time for his birthday, and he wouldn’t let anyone else ruin that.

“We shouldn’t be more than a couple of hours,” Margaery told her driver before eagerly pulling on Robb’s arm and stepping out of the car. 

He could make out the soft sound of a dog or two yipping, and he saw the logo imprinted on the door of the building. It was then that he pieced together where Margaery had taken him, and his jaw dropped slightly in shock. “You didn’t,” he remarked.

“I did,” she said brightly with a smile, “You talked about how much you always wanted a dog growing up and how your family never had a pet. And I know you live alone and would enjoy having a companion, so I thought this would be the perfect present… Please tell me if it’s too much.”

“It’s definitely too much,” Robb replied, “But it’s also the best birthday present I could’ve imagined.  _ Thank you _ , Margaery.” He was all but speechless as he turned away from the rescue centre to look at her, filled with an excitement he hadn’t had since he’d been a kid. 

“It’s the very least I could do,” Margaery asserted, “And it’s so good to see you looking so happy. Shall we go find you a dog?”

“Can we really just go in and pick one? I thought they usually did background checks and…”

“Well, my brother Willas has some sway with the WSPCA,” Margaery explained, “They will still do a home check, but they’ve been assured of what a responsible, active person you are.”

Robb grinned, feeling as though his heart might burst out of his chest from both anticipation and what he could only describe as  _ love _ . He was certain that no one had ever gone this far above and beyond for him. “You really didn’t have to do this,” he found himself saying, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Yes, I did,” she countered, “You’re always doing such kind things for others. You never put yourself first. You deserve this, Robb.” 

He was grateful that she opened the door and they were distracted by a roomful of dogs then, as he wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t know where to look first, his eyes darting around the centre at all of the stalls where the dogs were kept.

“I don’t envy you at all having to make this decision,” Margaery confessed with a delighted laugh, “They’re all adorable. Have you ever had a breed in mind?”

“Not really...I suppose I’m more drawn towards bigger breeds, though,” Robb replied, “My dad would sometimes tell us stories growing up about our great-great-great-great ancestors who rode on the backs of giant wolves. Can you imagine?”

“So a dog big enough to ride on. Understood,” Margaery teased, “That might be difficult to fit in your apartment, though.”

“Aye, you make a good point.” Robb feigned a deep sigh. “I suppose I’ll have to settle for a normal-sized dog.”

Margaery giggled, sending Robb’s heart aflutter once more. He was the one to take hold of her hand this time, leading her over to some of the bigger dogs that had caught his eye. He didn’t expect one of them to come bounding towards them, however, nearly tripping over their feet in its enthusiasm.

“Gods, I’m so sorry!” one of the workers called out, running over, “I was just trying to give him something to eat, and he slipped out of his pen.”

“That’s quite alright,” Robb insisted with a laugh as the dog jumped up to lick his hand. He looked to be only a few months old and was some kind of husky or malamute. “You look like a troublemaker,” he remarked, to which the puppy play bowed at him with an eager yip.

“He’s actually fairly well-behaved most of the time,” the worker quickly spoke up, “He’s still a puppy, though, so he has a lot to learn.”

“I wasn’t counting that against him,” Robb explained, “There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of troublemaking sometimes.”

The dog yipped again, and Margaery chuckled. “I think he agrees,” she remarked, “Does this one have a name?”

“We’ve been calling him Swift, because as you can see he’s a pretty nimble fellow.” The worker moved in towards Robb, quickly clipping a leash on the puppy as she spoke. “He and his four siblings came in, we think, not long after they’d been born. Their mother was in a bad way and unfortunately she didn’t make it.”

Robb frowned, bending down to give the puppy a scratch behind the ears. “I’m sorry about your mother, little guy,” he murmured. Swift looked up at him, gave a small yip, and then closed his eyes in contentment.

“Well, that was easy,” Margaery jested as she knelt down beside Robb, “I thought we were going to be in here for hours searching for the perfect dog for you.”

He laughed. “I think the perfect dog found me,” he admitted, unsure how he was meant to resist the fuzzy bundle of grey fur that had all but jumped into his lap. He glanced up at the worker who was wearing a smile. “Is he available for adoption?” Robb asked.

“Most definitely,” she replied, “Though you’re free to take your time and look around more if you’d like… Do you both know about the home check?”

“Aye, we do,” Robb said, “And I can always...I’ll be honest with you, I work a lot, but I’m also very active and very willing to put in the time to exercise him and train him.”

“Well, even a housebroken puppy like him is quite a bit more work than an adult dog, but I’m sure you’ll be able to figure something out between the two of you.”

“Oh, we don’t live together,” Margaery explained, “Although, Robb, if you ever want to bring him to mine I’d be more than happy to have him.” Almost as if he could hear her, Swift then made his way over to Margaery and rolled over onto his back.

Robb gave his client a grin. “Thank you,” he said gratefully.

“I apologize,” the worker remarked, “I shouldn’t have assumed. You two are just so cute together.” Before Robb could protest, she handed Swift’s leash over to him. “I’ll just go grab the paperwork, then,” she said, “Unfortunately you won’t be able to take him home tonight as we’ll need to conduct the home inspection, but we can get started on the process!”

She gave them a smile and then promptly walked away, leaving them both in a rather awkward silence. Robb found he had trouble meeting Margaery’s eyes, but when he eventually did, he was surprised by her expression. He wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but for some reason she looked withdrawn and almost sad. 

“Margaery, this really is...such an amazing gift,” Robb said, hoping to cheer her up, “I’m still gobsmacked.” 

“As I said, Robb, it’s nothing you don’t deserve,” Margaery said quietly, “Besides, it looks as though Swift is just as happy to have met you as you are to have met him.”

Robb looked down only to find the puppy trying to sit in his lap. “Well hello there, little lad,” he said with a laugh, then adding quietly to Margaery, “Do you think they’ll mind if I rename him? I’m not sure about the name Swift…”

“I’m sure they won’t care. He’s  _ your  _ little lad now,” Margaery replied, giving him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Before Robb could ask her what was wrong, the shelter worker came back and handed him a stack of paperwork to fill out. 

Even after they had finished up at the shelter and bid Robb’s new puppy a ‘goodbye for now’, Margaery still seemed a little reserved, unlike her normal bubbly self. They headed back to her apartment where she baked a fresh blackberry cake for him and painstakingly planted twenty-five candles on top. She sang him Happy Birthday while he blushed furiously, and though it was admittedly the best birthday he had celebrated in a long while, he couldn’t help but feel worried about his companion. She would never let on that she was distressed in any way, but he knew that something was off.

When he blew out his candles, he wished for Margaery’s happiness.


	4. Honor & Honesty

“We are now leaving Appleton,” the train conductor’s voice announced, “Our next stop will be Highgarden. Thank you for choosing Roseroad Railways.”

Robb gave Margaery’s shoulder the gentlest of shakes in an attempt to rouse her. She had fallen asleep sometime after they’d left Bitterbridge, and somewhere near Longtable her head had dropped onto his shoulder. He had decided he would let her rest, telling himself that she needed it - which was true. It was also true, however, that he rather liked the warmth of her leaning against him. Unfortunately, they were now nearing their stop, and so he wouldn’t be able to leave her that way for much longer. 

Margaery’s eyes slowly blinked open and, once she realized where she was situated, she pulled back quickly. “Gods, I’m sorry, Robb,” she murmured, bringing a hand up to sweep her curls behind her ear.

He shook his head. “It’s alright,” he replied softly. 

His client had decided to take a week off from her campaign to visit her childhood home and family, much to the objection of her manager. It had been about a month since Robb’s birthday, and election day was rapidly approaching. Ideally, Margaery would have been hitting the trail harder than ever, but she seemed to be rather reclusive and somber as of late. He hoped a week in Highgarden with her older brothers would lift her spirits. 

“They said Highgarden is coming up next,” Robb added in explanation, “I just didn’t want you to be scrambling once we got there.”

“Not to mention if I left Garlan standing on the platform he’d never let me hear the end of it,” Margaery added, her voice still a little hoarse from sleep. Robb couldn’t help but find it endearing and he gave a small smile. “How’s Grey Wind?” she asked him. 

“He’s been very well-behaved, actually. I can tell he’s eager to get outside, though.” Robb looked underneath the seat in front of him, where his new puppy was lying with his head resting against the metal door of his carrier. ‘Swift’ had been renamed Grey Wind at Margaery’s insistence, after late one night Robb had confessed to having an imaginary pet wolf named Grey Wind as a child. Those nights when he stayed up chatting with Margaery were some of his favorites, and he was secretly hoping they might have some opportunities for that in Highgarden.

“I’m excited to meet your brothers,” Robb added, prompting Margaery to smile.

“Really?” she queried, reaching for her suitcase, “I have a feeling they’re going to adore you… I know you’re still on duty, but I hope you can enjoy yourself a little bit.”

He gave a small nod as the train speakers dinged and the conductor declared that they had arrived in Highgarden. The doors wooshed open, and the smell of flowers immediately filled the air. Grey Wind gave a tiny but earnest yip under Robb’s seat. “I know, boy. I’ll get you on a leash just as soon as we’re on the platform,” he promised, standing to help Margaery with her things.

“So...Willas is the oldest, then Garlan, then Loras, right?” Robb wanted to check quickly. He slung his own bag over his shoulder, grabbed Margaery’s suitcase with one hand and then picked up Grey Wind’s carrier with the other. “Which is the one who got married recently?”

“That’s Garlan,” Margaery explained on their way to the door, “His wife, Leonette, is from a family that’s been friends with mine for years. She’s lovely.”

“Did you go to the wedding?” Robb asked with a smile.

“Oh, yes. They got married in an orchard,” Margaery explained, “It was a really beautiful ceremony.”

She didn’t seem to want to elaborate on the manner any further, so Robb didn’t press her. They reached the platform, and he set Grey Wind’s carrier down so that he could leash the puppy and let him out. 

“Margaery!” he heard a loud voice call out, and he looked up to make sure his client wasn’t in any type of danger. Instead, he saw Margaery break into a smile, and she ran forward to wrap her arms around a bearded man who looked to be just a few years older than them. 

“I missed you, big brother!” Margaery declared, giving a laugh.

“I missed you, little sister!” Garlan said in return, “Despite the fact that I see your face on television rather a lot.”

“Too much, I expect,” Margaery teased, “Thank you for coming to get us. Allow me to introduce you to Robb Stark, my…”

“Ah, so you’re the bodyguard. I’ve heard a lot about you.” He broke from Margaery to extend his hand, which Robb shook once he had grabbed his dog’s leash with his other hand. 

“You have?” Robb asked, a little surprised.

“I’ve even heard about this young fellow,” Garlan remarked, glancing down at Grey Wind, “Willas is going to be very excited to meet you.” He looked up once more and gave Robb a grin. “I probably won’t be the last Tyrell to thank you for protecting my sister,” he remarked, “Margaery told us about the incident at KLU, and we’re all incredibly grateful you were there.”

Robb blinked, taken aback. “I was just doing my job,” he said, “It’s an honor to work for Margaery, honestly.”

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Margaery smile softly, and he felt her place a hand on his back. “Shall we take Grey Wind to go to the bathroom before we get in Garlan’s car?” she asked, “Looks like there’s a nice patch of grass for him over there.”

“Here, let me take your luggage, and we can meet at the car,” Garlan offered, “I’m parked right out front near the buses.”

While he took Grey Wind over to relieve himself and even once he and Margaery had gotten into Garlan’s car, Robb couldn’t help but think about Garlan’s offhand comment about having heard a lot about him. He could no longer deny to himself how much he had come to care for his client even if he tried, but burying how he truly felt about her was a routine he had become used to by now. Something about being in Highgarden and meeting her family, though, was making him start to question his decision not to be honest Margaery.

“Listen, I know Mum and Dad have been insisting, but if you don’t want to stay with them you can always stay with me and Lee,” Garlan remarked to his sister while Robb glanced out the window at beautifully maintained shrubbery, “We won’t mind, I promise.”

“Oh, I don’t know, Garlan…” Margaery trailed off and gave Robb a sidelong glance that he almost missed as he took in the sights of Highgarden. “I need to speak with you about something, but it’s a rather depressing topic, and I don’t want to dampen anyone’s mood right now.”

Garlan gave a nod of his head. “We can talk later, then,” he said quietly before speaking up. “Here we are!” he declared as they drove up to a large white house surrounded by flower gardens and blooming trees. “What do you think, Robb?”

“It’s...something else,” Robb replied, truly meaning it. He had always thought his hometown of Winterfell beautiful, but this was beautiful in a very different way. There was so much green and so much color that he couldn’t help but stare as they got out of the car, even though he felt a little ridiculous for doing so. 

The door opened before they even had a chance to approach it, and from inside came a stout older man who Robb gathered must be Mace Tyrell. “There she is!” he declared, extending his arms, “Welcome home, my dear daughter!”

Margaery made her way over to wrap him in an embrace. “It’s good to see you, Daddy,” she said softly.

“You as well, sweetpea,” Mace replied, drawing back to look over his daughter’s shoulder at Robb. “You must be Mr. Stark,” he said, “I owe you a great deal of thanks for keeping my Margaery safe.”

Robb extended his hand to the older man, giving it a firm shake. “Think nothing of it, sir,” he replied, hoping to make a good impression, “I hope you don’t mind my doing a sweep of the house before Miss. Tyrell goes inside. I’m sure everything is fine, but one can never be too cautious.”

“I can take Grey Wind for you, Robb,” Margaery offered, giving a small laugh as the puppy bounded over to her when he heard his name. 

Mace consented, nodding his head. “Do whatever you must,” he said to Robb, “Let me just tell the rest of the family, and we can wait on the porch.”

“Don’t do  _ too _ much snooping in my room,” Margaery teased quietly so that only Robb could hear. He couldn’t help but smile; it had been a while since she’d joked around with him.

“Well, now you’ve made me curious,” Robb said in return with a raise of his eyebrow.

“Margaery!” Another man emerged from the house, this one taller and walking with an ornately decorated cane. “So nice to...goodness me, is that a husky or malamute mix?”

“Don’t mind Willas; that’s his way of saying hello.” A third man said, shaking his head of brown hair which was lighter than his older brother’s. Meanwhile, an older woman Robb presumed to be Margaery’s mother walked over to hug her and a younger, red-haired woman greeted Garlan with a loving kiss. 

Robb felt rather like he was intruding on a family moment then. “I’ll be back in a few, ma’am,” he told Margaery, quietly ducking into the house. 

It would take a while, he realized, for him to scout out the entire Tyrell house. There was little reason to believe that anything had been planted in the house that might cause his client harm, but he knew he shouldn’t neglect his duties anyhow. He combed through the entryway, the kitchen, the living space, and a couple of bedrooms before he reached what was indisputably Margaery’s childhood room. 

The walls were covered in green, flowery wallpaper, and the shelves were lined with books and dolls. He smiled when he saw some of the pictures she’d drawn as a child framed and hanging above her desk. He checked around the room, but it seemed untouched since she’d presumably gone away to university and moved to King’s Landing.

He finished up his work and then walked outside to find the Tyrell family sitting on the porch. “All clear, ma’am,” he announced.

“Thank you, Robb,” Margaery replied, “You can come have a seat if you like.”

“Please do make yourself comfortable,” Alerie spoke up, “I’ll go put on some tea for everyone. Would you like a cup, Robb?”

“I’d love one, thank you,” Robb answered.

“Weak or strong?”

“Strong, with just a…”

“...splash of milk,” Margaery said at the same time as him. When she realized what she’d done, he saw her cheeks flush slightly as she gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I thought Mum was talking to me,” she explained.

While Robb shook his head and smiled back reassuringly at her, he was addressed by Margaery’s eldest brother. “Robb, Loras and Garlan and I have been trying to figure something out about you,” Willas said.

“We have. We’re wondering what’s wrong with you,” Garlan said with a grin.

“I’m sorry?” Robb asked. 

“Don’t mind them, Robb,” Leonette spoke up, shaking her head with a smile, “They’re just teasing you.”

“No, but seriously,” Loras chimed in, “You’re younger than all of us. Margaery says you graduated one of the best in your class, you were assigned to protect a top political candidate and, even though political candidates have been dropping like flies these days, you’ve stayed by her side and kept her out of harm’s way. There must be  _ something _ wrong with you.”

Robb’s face grew hot when he realized what Margaery’s brothers were insinuating. “Oh, trust me, I have many flaws. I suspect your sister is just too kind to tell you about them,” he remarked.

“One of his flaws being that he’s far too modest,” Margaery jested, giving a smile that made Robb’s heart beat a little faster. She looked to be reaching out to touch him but then thought twice about it, moving her hand to play with her earring instead. 

“You and Leonette don’t live far from here, Garlan? Is that right?” Robb inquired, wanting to change the subject to anything other than himself.

“Just down the road,” Garlan answered, “The Reach is a fine place to live, and it’s good to be close to family.”

“Especially when we start having children,” Leonette added with a grin, “I want our kids to grow up close to their grandparents.”

“That’s a wise move,” Robb remarked, “If you and Mrs. Tyrell are anything like my mother, Mr. Tyrell, I bet you can’t wait.”

“I’m definitely looking forward to being called Grandad,” Mace said, giving a hearty laugh. 

“Are all your family back up North, Robb?” Leonette asked, “I hope King’s Landing isn’t too lonely for you.”

“Aye, they are,” Robb said, “To be honest, King’s Landing has been a lot less lonely since I started working for Margaery. She’s very good at making you feel at home.” When he glanced over at his client, he was surprised to see her wiping tears from her eyes. 

“Sorry, I just realized Mum must need help carrying everything,” she murmured, standing to her feet abruptly, “I’ll go see how she’s doing.”

“I’ll go with you,” Mace volunteered, seemingly none the wiser, “I’m sure she’ll appreciate another pair of hands.”

The two of them left Robb sitting in silence with Margaery’s brothers and sister-in-law. He held his tongue for a moment, his head spinning with thoughts. “I know Margaery didn’t just come here for a vacation,” he said quietly, his eyes cast downwards, “She’s been troubled as of late, and I’m concerned for her… Do any of you… Could any of you tell me what’s going on?”

“I think you need to talk to Margaery, Robb,” Willas spoke up softly.

Though it was abundantly clear that Willas had a point, Robb found that as the day went on he had little opportunity to talk to Margaery in private at all. Her brothers were clued in to the fact that he was trying to find a situation where they could be alone together but her parents had no idea, and she seemed to want to spend most of her time either in the kitchen with her mother or out walking with her father.

Robb, for his part, spent his time getting to know the gardens of the Tyrell house with Grey Wind, but as beautiful as they were he found it difficult to forget his concern over Margaery. His final opportunity was squandered when both she and Alerie Tyrell showed him to the spare room, and he found himself bidding both of them a good night.

He did his best to try and get some sleep, but his worries kept him tossing and turning. The spare room was right next to Margaery’s, and if he was quiet enough, he could hear the squeak of her bed or her let out a sigh. He wasn’t sure how long he had laid there awake when he heard a small sniffle next door. He sprung to his feet then, horrified at the idea of Margaery crying again.

His puppy gave a whimper as he threw on a t-shirt, but Robb tossed him a teething toy from his suitcase to keep him occupied. He then made his way over to his client’s room, very gently rapping his knuckles against her door. “Margaery?” he questioned in a whisper, “Are you still awake?”

“Robb?” he barely heard her whisper back from the other side of the door. He then heard a sniff, and the sound of what he presumed was her getting out of her bed. “Is everything alright?”

“Well...no, I don’t think it is,” Robb replied, “Can we talk?”

There was what felt like a long pause before he heard her say: “Just a minute.” He heard some gentle moving around and what might have been Margaery blowing her nose, and only then did the door open to reveal his client in a robe she appeared to have put on over her pajamas. To her credit, if she had been crying as he had suspected, she was hiding it pretty well. 

“Can I come in?” he asked, to which she slowly nodded and made her way inside her room, switching on the lamp on her bedside table. She sat down on her bed and gestured to the armchair across from her. “Thank you,” he murmured, taking a seat.

“What’s going on?” she queried, clearly trying her best to keep her tone casual.

He let out a sigh, running a hand through his curls in frustration. “I was going to ask you the same thing,” he admitted, his brow furrowed, “Listen, I know I can be pretty dense about some things, but I can tell that something isn’t right, Margaery.”

“You’re not dense, Robb,” Margaery said gently. Her lips pressed together and she avoided meeting his gaze. “I just...I don’t know how to talk to you about this.”

“Well, in that case, I’m sorry if there’s anything I’ve ever done that made you feel like you couldn’t talk to me.” He stood up and extended his hands, hoping she would be willing to take them. “I care about you, Margaery. If that hasn’t been clear to you before, then let me make it clear now. All I want is for you to be safe and happy.”

When Margaery stood up as well, he was surprised to see her eyes start to fill with tears. “Robb, you have the kindest, most understanding heart of almost anyone I know. I...I think I know what would make me happy. The trouble is I don’t think I’ll ever be able to have it.”

“Margaery…” he trailed off when she took his hands and gave them a squeeze. 

“I keep thinking about how different our lives could have been if we’d just met under  _ any _ other circumstance,” she whispered, “Perhaps we would have ran into each other at the park or… Or I would have spotted you at a bar and bought you a drink.” She let out a small, wistful laugh, shaking her head.

Robb felt his jaw go slack at her sentiments, and though his brain was telling him to say something,  _ anything _ to Margaery, he couldn’t seem to find the right words.

He knew that telling Margaery about his feelings would be crossing an ethical boundary that he had sworn to uphold. He  _ knew _ that it would be going against everything he had ever been taught during his years of training and that he might face irreparable consequences for stepping out of line. And yet, he'd never failed to protect Margaery in spite of his complicated relationship with her. 

Robb had become a bodyguard to give his client the life his father had been robbed of. When he thought of all of the wonderful memories he held of growing up in Winterfell, almost every one of them involved his mother as well as his father, and the love that they shared. If his father was here now, he could not imagine him telling his son that he ought to forsake love for duty. 

“Tell me I’m wrong,” she continued, her voice breaking, “Tell me that you don’t feel the way that I do. It might break my heart, but it will be better than living every day like  _ this _ …”

“I can’t do that, Margaery.” His mouth suddenly seemed to be forming words, almost before he’d given himself any time to think about them. “I don’t like lying to people, and I definitely wouldn’t want to lie to you.”

“What does that mean?” Margaery asked. 

“It means that you’re all I can think about. It means I’m never happier than when I’m with you, and I feel like I’m the best version of myself around you. It means I’ve been...falling for you since the moment we met.”

Margaery broke into a smile, though a few tears escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. “What are we meant to do now?” she asked, trailing her thumb over the back of his hand. 

Robb reached up to tenderly wipe at her tears, and she turned her head to press a kiss to his palm. “I’ll ask for a reassignment,” he told her, his face growing warm under her gaze, “I’m sorry I didn’t ask for one earilier… I thought… I didn’t know that you felt this way.”

“Don’t be sorry,” she breathed, nestling her cheek against his hand, “I’m rather good at hiding my feelings, and I never wanted to pull you away from your duties or get you in trouble. But… I’ve never felt this way about anyone, Robb. Truly. I love you.”

“Oh gods, I didn’t say that, did I?” Robb abruptly realized, “I love you, Margaery. I was so afraid to...I didn’t want to betray the trust you had put in me.”

“You’re a very good bodyguard,” Margaery remarked. It filled him with joy to see her smile reach her eyes as she looked back at him. 

“Well, thank you,” Robb replied. He lowered his voice to add: “Would I still be a good bodyguard if I admitted I really wanted to kiss you at the moment?”

Margaery giggled. “I don’t care if it makes you a terrible bodyguard. It’s what I want too.”

“Oh, thank the gods,” he jested, taking her face in both of his hands and leaning forward to let their lips meet. He knew he had many things to worry about, including confronting his superior about wanting a reassignment, but right now he didn’t care. Margaery telling him that she loved him was enough to make him forget about anything but her.

Kissing her was, if possible, even better than he had imagined on the rare occasions he had allowed his mind to even contemplate that possibility. They were both ever so slightly tentative at first, taking a moment to get to know each other in this very different way, and then he felt her mouth open beneath his and her arms slip around his waist as their kiss deepened. 

He could feel her smile against his lips then, and he smiled in return. “You’re amazing,” he muttered, “We should have done this sooner.”

Margaery laughed, brushing her nose against his affectionately. “I most definitely agree with that statement,” she said, “I’ve wanted to kiss you since the first day I met you. But you are worth the wait, my sweet Robb.”

He chuckled as well, leaning in for another kiss. This time, her whole body seemed to curve into his, and as she kissed him in return he heard the softest of sighs escape her lips. 

“Margaery…” he murmured for the second time during their conversation, though his tone now was altogether very different. They had barely pulled away before he kissed her again, and then turned to press a kiss to her jaw and one to her neck. “Tell me if you want me to slow down, alright?” he whispered to her.

“I don’t want you to slow down,” Margaery said, “Not if you don’t want to.”

He gave a nod in understanding, moving his hands down to trail over her back as he leaned in to kiss her deeply, parting her lips with his tongue. 

“Mmm, Robb,” she moaned against his mouth, making his whole body go hot. She drew back only to take his hand and pull him towards her as she laid back against the pillows of her bed. She hastily pushed her robe off of her shoulders then, revealing her silky pajamas. He couldn’t help but think that she had never looked more beautiful with her hair fanned out behind her and her lips pink and pouty from their kisses.

“You’re stunning,” he said, relishing a little in the fact that he could finally say aloud all the things that he had long kept to himself. 

He had an inkling that Margaery might feel similarly as she reached to help him tug off his shirt, her hands running lovingly over his shoulders and chest. “Bodyguards shouldn’t be allowed to be as handsome as you,” she teased, and Robb could feel his face flush. 

He was certain his face went even redder when she took his hand in hers and brought it up to her breast. “Seven hells,” he muttered, making her giggle again.

“You’ve no idea how often I fantasized about having your wonderful hands on my-”

“Margaery?!” a loud voice called out from the hallway, causing Robb to nearly jump out of his skin, “Margaery, dear, are you alright?”

“ _ Fuck _ , that’s my dad,” Margaery hissed, looking up at Robb with wide eyes.

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Robb echoed. His mind immediately went into emergency mode and he rolled off of Margaery, dropping quietly to the floor and crawling under the bed. At first he thought he might have overreacted, but he then heard footsteps coming closer and the sound of Margaery hurrying to get under the covers.

“Margaery?” Mace said again, just before Robb heard the door open. A weak beam of light came into the room, and Robb tried to stay as still and as silent as he possibly could.

“Daddy?” Margaery had made her voice sound heavy with sleep, and Robb couldn’t help but be impressed by her acting skills. “What is it?”

“I thought I heard some strange noises coming from your room,” Mace said, causing Robb to feel absolutely mortified. He was grateful that Margaery couldn’t see his face at the present.

Margaery let out a small sigh. “I was probably just having a nightmare or something. No need to worry, Daddy. You ought to go back to Mum before she wakes up and finds you missing.”

“Yes, yes, you’re probably right,” Mace uttered, giving a yawn, “Sweet dreams, sweetpea. Hopefully you don’t have any more nightmares.”

Robb waited for the sound of the door shutting and Mace’s footsteps to fade away before moving from his hiding space and standing to his feet. Margaery looked to be holding back a laugh, biting down on her bottom lip. “You’re lucky you’re so adorable,” he joked softly, raising his eyebrows at her.

She did let out a giggle then, shaking her head as she made her way over to him. “So are you,” she replied, “Even if we had been caught it would’ve been worth it.” 

“I can’t argue with you there,” Robb admitted, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her lips, “I should probably go back to my room, though, as much as I’d like to stay.”

“I’d quite like you to stay as well, but perhaps you’re right,” Margaery acknowledged, “Besides, we...well,  _ I _ don’t have any protection…” She blushed a little as she looked up at him through her lashes.

Robb could feel his eyes grow wide. “Oh,” he said before giving a coy smile, “I definitely didn’t plan for anything like this, so I don’t have any either.” He reached for his shirt which was crumbled in a ball on her bed, and was about to put it back on when he noticed Margaery pouting. “Don’t give me that face,” he jested with a quiet laugh, “I don’t know how I’m meant to go back to my room when you look at me like that.”

“Well, we don’t have to _ sleep  _ together, but we  _ can _ sleep together,” she suggested playfully, taking his hand in hers, “I think the bed in the spare room is bigger than mine... I don’t want to be apart from you, my love.”

“You just called me ‘my love’,” Robb said with a smile. It seemed surreal that the person he had spent so much time wishing he could be with was now holding his hand and calling him by such a term of endearment.

Margaery giggled softly. “I can say it again as often as you like,” she offered.

“Let’s go to the spare room, then,” he said, nodding at her earlier suggestion, “I will just warn you that Grey Wind has taken to jumping on my bed in the middle of the night, so...we might have company.”

“I don’t mind, so long as I’m with you,” Margaery remarked. The way she looked at him then was enough to make him weak in the knees. 

He grinned and then leaned in, sweeping Margaery off of her feet and into his arms. To her credit, she made only the smallest of noises in surprise before wrapping her arms around his neck. He carried her to the spare bedroom and quietly shut the door behind them before carefully placing her down on the bed.

“I know we said no sex, but please tell me you aren’t opposed to making out for a while,” she said with a smile.

“Why in the name of the old gods and the new would I be opposed to that?” Robb asked, grinning again as he leaned in towards her. Their lips met as she settled back on the bed, and he could feel her smiling into their kiss. “Tell me more about this fantasizing you mentioned,” he murmured, making her laugh. 

Robb assumed Grey Wind must have fallen asleep since he remained very quiet - at least, he did until Robb had spent quite a bit of time in the company of the incredible woman he had confessed his feelings for. When a little bit of tiredness finally seemed to be setting in, the growing puppy jumped up onto the bed, and Robb ultimately fell asleep curled up with both Margaery and his dog.


	5. Passion & Pleasure

“A reassignment? Are you sure, Stark?”

“Absolutely, sir.” 

Robb sat in front of Syrio Forel in his office, feeling far more confident than he had on his first day on the job. He suspected that had much to do with the young woman whom he had fallen in love with, as she seemed to build up his tenacity and courage every day. 

He and Margaery had a difficult time keeping their relationship a secret while they were in Highgarden, unable to keep their hands off of each other when they weren’t in the company of her family. He had a feeling that her brothers were, at the very least, suspicious of them by the end of the week, but Robb was so on top of the world that he didn’t even care.

It was unfortunate that they had to be a little more discreet upon their return to King’s Landing, at least until he was able to speak with his superior and was no longer appointed to guard Margaery. With the election only weeks away, they had to do everything in their power to avoid a scandal or distract from the campaign. 

“You do realize, I hope, that I am going to need a reason to reassign you,” Syrio said pointedly.

“I do, sir,” Robb replied, “ I also am aware that I was given an opportunity with this job that is not granted to many, and I’m very grateful for it.”

“Then why are you asking to be relieved of your duties?”

“Because I’m in love, sir.” Robb couldn’t help but smile as he said the words. He respected Syrio Forel far too much to tell him anything but the truth, and truthfully it felt good to be able to do so.

Syrio’s eyebrows shot up. “Say no more, Stark, or I’ll have to put this on record.” He gave a small sigh. “You’ll need to give me a few days to assess the situation and figure out where to place you, but… You’re a good bodyguard, and I am certain this firm doesn’t want to lose you… I just need to be sure this isn’t going to become a pattern.”

Robb shook his head adamantly. “No, sir. That won’t be a problem. I am very much committed to Margaery.”

Syrio nodded in understanding. “Very well. I will be in touch over the next few days. We will have to find someone to replace you as soon as possible, and I’d like you to go over Miss. Tyrell’s file with them as well as your duties and responsibilities.”

“Of course, sir,” Robb said. Given that whoever Syrio chose would be tasked with protecting the woman he loved, Robb rather wished he might be able to have a say in who it might be. He knew, however, that he wasn’t in a position to make any demands. “I’ll make sure they are fully versed in all of our protocols.”

“There’s one more thing,” Syrio added, “I cannot guarantee that I will be able to reassign you to a position here in King’s Landing. As you know, it is our job to go wherever there is a need for us.”

Robb swallowed the lump in his throat. He knew that telling his superior about the situation with Margaery would be difficult, and he had already gone through a million different scenarios about where he would land in his head. Being relocated was certainly not the worst case scenario, but it wasn’t exactly ideal either. If Syrio were to move him to a different city, he would have to decline and find a job elsewhere. He didn’t want to be apart from Margaery, especially since the only future he could envision was one where he was by her side. 

All he could do was give a small nod in response. 

“I’ll do my best to make sure you stay here,” Syrio said, “You may go now, Stark. I have a lot of work to do thanks to you.” The smallest of smiles appeared on the older man’s face. “You’re lucky you’re so good at your job.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, sir,” Robb said, a hint of a smile briefly crossing his own features. He wasn’t entirely sure Syrio appreciated his comment, but for reasons he expected had largely to do with Margaery, he didn’t mind either way.

On his way out, the first call he made was to the person he had barely spent any time away from and yet couldn’t wait to see again. “Hello, sweetheart,” he said when she picked up, “It’s done. Forel said that he’d just need a few days to find my replacement.”

“Oh, my love… How did it go?” Margaery’s asked on the other line, “Is everything alright?”

“It will be,” Robb answered, unable to help but smile, “It went as well as it could have… Can we talk about it later?”

“Absolutely. Whatever you want, Robb... I owe you a great deal of thanks.”

He shook his head. “You don’t owe me anything, Margaery. I’m just so happy that I get to be with you.”

He could hear her give a small laugh of delight, and his heart gave a leap in his chest at the sound. “Gods, I adore you,” she murmured, “I know you say I don’t owe you anything, but I’d quite like to reward you anyway… in more ways than one.”

“Is that right?” Robb asked, feeling his face turning red. It still seemed slightly surreal to him that Margaery had said she loved him and had continued saying things like this. Though he had long been a romantic, it wasn’t as if he’d had much time to think about romance in the past few years.

“I’m almost done with work,” she said, still keeping her voice down, “Would you like to come over in about an hour? You might want to bring Grey Wind with you so he won’t be alone all night.”

“That sounds perfect, sweetheart,” he replied, “I’ll pack an overnight bag for myself and Grey Wind and see you in an hour.”

“I’ll text you when I’m finished. I love you.”

He smiled even wider. “I love you too. See you soon.”

He headed back to his flat where his puppy greeted him with enthusiasm. “Hey boy,” he said with a laugh, “Want to help me get ready? We’re going to spend the night at your favorite place.” 

He gathered up a change of clothes and toiletries as well as Grey Wind’s food and plenty of toys as he eagerly awaited Margaery’s text. 

< _ I’m ready. Can’t wait to see you. I’m having Osney drive me over to pick you up. _ > The message had come a little earlier than Margaery had said, although for Robb it seemed like it couldn’t come soon enough. He was a little surprised that she was coming to get him, however.

< _ Are you sure? Grey Wind and I can walk.> _

_ <It’s no trouble. You deserve it, especially after today.> _

_ <Thank you. This way I do get to see you even sooner :)> _

He grabbed his bag and put Grey Wind’s leash on, leading the puppy outside. It was a nice day, and Robb found that even King’s Landing with its tall buildings and sparse wildlife looked beautiful during the sunset.

Margaery’s car pulled up only a few minutes later, and he hopped in, helping his puppy jump into the back seat. He was grateful that the partition was already up as Margaery took his face in her hands and drew him in for a passionate kiss just as soon as he’d shut the door behind him.

“Hello to you as well,” he teased against her lips, sliding his arms around her waist. 

She gave him a knowing look before tapping on the window, and the car began to move again. “I wanted to thank you for the sacrifices you made today,” she murmured as she brushed her thumb along his cheek, “You’re far too lovely and selfless to say, but I know that telling your superior about us and asking for a reassignment was no simple task. I really can’t tell you how much you doing that means to me, Robb.”

Robb smiled softly, shaking his head. “Did I ever tell you about how my parents met?” he asked her.

“No, my love, I don’t believe you did,” Margaery replied, adding teasingly, “Don’t tell me your mum was his bodyguard.”

“No, she wasn’t,” Robb said with a laugh, “But she  _ was _ my uncle Brandon’s girlfriend. They were high school sweethearts and were together for a long time. My grandparents were convinced they were going to get married. So, you can imagine how they felt when she started dating my dad not long after she and Uncle Brandon broke up…” 

“Oh, gods,” Margaery said, her eyebrows raised, “Did they ever work things out?”

“Aye, eventually,” Robb answered, “Mum told me the story when I was older, and what always stuck in my mind was how...confident she was in her decision, despite everything. She always said she just knew that she and Dad were better together. So, I suppose what I want to say is...I think I understand how she felt now.”

He was concerned when he saw Margaery’s eyes fill with tears, but then she threw her arms around his neck and drew him into a tight hug. “I hope one day we’ll get to tell our children the story of how we met,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Robb laughed again, giving her waist a squeeze. He hadn’t given himself time to think very far into the future, but he found that he really loved the idea of starting a family with Margaery. “Me too,” he murmured in return, nuzzling against her neck. 

He felt the car stop then, and Grey Wind let out a yip. “Don’t worry, boy. I haven’t forgotten about you,” Robb said, “It’s almost dinner time, hmm?”

He let go of Margaery only to take his puppy’s leash and open the door for them, then the three of them stepped out onto the sidewalk in front of Margaery’s apartment complex. The passenger side window rolled down, and Osney leaned over to address them.

“Will Stark be needing a ride home?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Oh, yes, but don’t worry, Osney,” Margaery replied quickly, “We’ll be working until late and I wouldn’t want to bother you. You’ll be OK to get a cab, won’t you, Robb?”

“Of course,” Robb said, avoiding eye contact with Osney. While his companion had sounded very casual and convincing, he had almost accidentally called her ‘sweetheart’. “Have a good night, Osney. Go home and get some rest.”

Robb hoped that he was just imagining that Osney narrowed his eyes before he nodded. “Good night, Ms. Tyrell,” he said pointedly before rolling the window up.

Margaery waited until her driver was out of their line of sight before taking Robb’s hand and leading him inside. “I still have some bowls sitting out for Grey Wind. I just left them in the kitchen since I figured you’d be coming back around soon,” she told him with a smile, “If you want to feed him, I am just going to freshen up real quick.”

“I think you look perfect the way you are, but sure,” he agreed, lacing their fingers together.

She kissed his cheek again before unlocking the door to her apartment and letting them both in. “I’ll see you soon,” she muttered, letting go of his hand and slipping into her bedroom. 

He gave a small chuckle and set off towards the kitchen with Grey Wind who seemed more than ready for his dinner. He had already taught the puppy how to sit and stay, and was proud of him when he patiently listened as Robb filled his food and water bowls. 

“Good boy!” he declared, giving Grey Wind the signal that it was okay to start eating. Once he got going, the growing dog certainly didn’t hesitate in scarfing down his food. He opened his overnight bag and got out a few toys for the puppy to play with after he was done eating.

As Grey Wind fed, Robb let out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding and looked around the room. Whenever he had been here in the past, there had always been a tiny part of him on edge, worried about being unprofessional and giving any indication of his feelings towards Margaery. This was the first time he had let himself truly relax in her apartment, so much so that he loosened his tie and slipped off his jacket, placing it on the coat rack. His eyes drifted not for the first time to the pictures on the wall in Margaery’s living room, which were mostly of her having fun with her family and friends. She looked so beautiful smiling in each and every one, and he couldn’t help but think about how much he was looking forward to making memories like those with her.

It wasn’t long afterwards that Robb heard the sound of footsteps, and he grinned to himself even before he turned around. When he actually saw Margaery, however, his eyes grew wide and his jaw went slack. Any brainpower that he might have used to look less dumbfounded was gone as he took in her appearance, starting with the lace black robe that was draped over her upper body. She had fastened it loosely such that he could glimpse the matching underwear she was wearing underneath, which was adorned with roses and left very little to the imagination.

“Seven fucking hells,” Robb breathed, his head spinning. He was certain that it was instinct that took over when he stepped forward and pulled Margaery into an embrace, his lips meeting hers in a deep kiss. 

She moaned against his mouth, only turning him on even more. “We should… bedroom,” she gasped out, barely coherent, but he understood her anyhow.

He slid his hands under her thighs and lifted her up into his arms, kissing her all the while. He carried her to her bedroom, thankful that he knew her apartment so well and could navigate them both there without bumping into anything. He didn’t set her down on the bed just yet, instead pressing her back up against the wall so that he could kiss down her neck.

“ _ Oh… _ ” She let out another moan as his lips grazed the skin between her neck and collarbone, and he felt her hands slide up the back of his neck to tangle in his hair. His senses were overwhelmed with the sounds she was making and her taste and her touch and he couldn’t remember ever having  _ wanted  _ anyone as much as he did Margaery at the moment.

“Robb….” she breathed, and he was certain he’d never liked the sound of his own name as much. “Gods, I can hardly wait to have you inside me,” she added in his ear.

He seemed to find his words then, and he drew back to look into her eyes which were dark with desire. “You are so beautiful and so amazing, Margaery,” he whispered, pressing a tender kiss to her nose, “I love you, and I can’t wait to be inside you.”

Margaery smiled softly and scratched at his scalp. “I feel so lucky to love you and to be loved by you,” she murmured in return, “I actually have a present for you, sweetheart. It’s on the nightstand if you’d like to open it now.”

Robb nodded and gently set her down but kept hold of her hand as he reached for the gift bag that he hadn’t even noticed since they’d entered the room. He opened it and laughed when he saw the pack of condoms inside. “These are very important,” he teased, taking them out of the bag. There was something underneath that caught his eye, and he picked up a key fob which he recognized as one that would let him into Margaery’s building. 

“I know you already have one, but you will have to turn it over to the next person who becomes my bodyguard,” she explained, “So I had an extra one made this morning and was wondering… Will you move in with me, my love?”

“Are you serious?” Robb asked, looking down at the key fob in his hand and then at her.

“We can wait, if you think it’s too soon,” Margaery said quickly, “You can just keep it and stop by whenever you like.” She looked a little concerned, and Robb realized he hadn’t made his feelings on the matter clear. 

“Margaery, I would  _ love  _ to move in with you,” he declared, breaking into a broad grin. When Margaery’s smile matched his own he made his way over to wrap his arms around her once more, and together they tumbled gently onto her bed where he began to shower her with kisses. 

She gave a delighted laugh and wrapped her legs around his backside before their lips met again. “I have never been happier,” she muttered, moving her hands round to unbutton his shirt.

“Good, then my birthday wish came true,” Robb remarked. When Margaery gave him a questioning look, he broke into a sheepish smile. “I wished for your happiness on my candles,” he clarified quietly.

Her mouth fell open slightly, and she shook her head. He was worried for a moment that he said something wrong before her lips crashed into his and she ripped at his shirt, sliding her hands over his chest. He let his arms drop to his sides to help her finish slipping the item of clothing off and then his hands slid up her body while hers went down to his trousers. 

“Sometimes I can hardly believe you exist, Robb Stark,” Margaery muttered, but before Robb had a chance to say anything she was kissing him again and her fingers were occupied with opening his fly. Her hands were running over his boxer briefs shortly afterwards, and all he could do was let out a moan.

He brought his hand up to her breast, caressing the lacy fabric and tracing a thumb over her nipple. He was somewhat in awe of Margaery’s body, and he might have told her as much if he was in his right mind, but he could barely think straight with her hands where they were. 

“ _ Fuck _ ,” he swore again when she rubbed her fingers along the front of his briefs, her hips canting upwards towards his.

She pushed his trousers down then, and he temporarily broke from her to help her slip them off completely. He leaned in to kiss her again, nipping gently at her bottom lip. 

“Mmm, will you take my breast in your mouth, Robb?” Margaery requested in a murmur, rolling her hips into his again.

“Absolutely,” Robb heard himself say, just hoping that he was intelligible. The way Margaery was moving combined with her words was making him harder and harder between his legs, his thoughts occupied with nothing but being closer to her.

His thumb tugged down the sheer fabric it had been running over so that he could run his tongue over her bare nipple, teasing it a few times before he covered it with his lips. The moans and gasps that began to escape her only encouraged him to keep going, taking the sensitive skin of her breast between his teeth for barely a moment.

“Oh, fuck  _ me _ ,” Margaery breathed, making him grin.

“I’m planning on it, sweetheart,” he muttered cheekily. 

Margaery burst into giggles, the sound filling him with warmth. “How am I so lucky that I get to be with someone who can make me laugh and turn me on at the same time?” she teased in a whisper, “I want you so badly, my sweet Robb.” 

“I want  _ you _ , my wonderful Margaery.” He leaned forward to rain kisses over her cheek, blindly reaching for the condoms on the bedside table and eventually finding them. He drew back so that he could open the package and take one out before tugging his boxer briefs down and off. 

She murmured a few more expletives as she looked him over, her cheeks going pink. He couldn’t help but follow suit, his own face growing rather hot under her gaze. He imagined she must have noticed as she leant in towards him again, cupping his face in her hands as she pressed a kiss to his lips. 

“Let me,” she offered, gently taking the condom from his hand. Protesting was the furthest thing from his mind as she opened it and put it on, running her hand slowly down his length. “Your cock is even better than I imagined,” she said in his ear.

Robb took in a sharp breath. “Imagined?” he echoed.

She gave a nod as she reached down and slipped off her own underwear. “At night when I was alone… I’d think of you, and I’d touch myself,” she admitted quietly.

He let out a small, guttural noise before kissing her with enthusiasm, pressing his body flush to hers. She responded in kind, wrapping one arm around his waist and using her other hand to guide him inside her. 

If he was rendered speechless before, he was certain he wouldn’t be able to find words now if he tried. Margaery gasped and seemed to freeze for a moment, but then he felt her fingers trail lovingly over his spine and heard her breathe out his name.

“Are you...is this alright?” he managed to ask her softly.

“ _ Much  _ better than alright,” Margaery replied, and he gave a small chuckle of relief. “Gods, Robb…” she repeated.

“I love the way you say my name,” Robb admitted. They were close enough that his forehead was resting against hers, and he barely had to move his head to give her a tender kiss. “Tell me if anything doesn’t feel good, OK?” he said. The last thing he wanted was for Margaery to feel anything but good while they were together.

“I will, and I hope you do the same. I love you,” Margaery replied with a soft smile. He could feel her trace the shape of a heart over his shoulder blade, and his own heart gave a leap in his chest. 

“Gods, I love you,” he muttered, overwhelmed by the emotions that Margaery stirred in him. He let out a groan when she lifted her hips to meet his, taking him deeper. 

He started to find a rhythm with her, taking it slow at first so as not to cause her any discomfort. With each thrust he let himself get a little more lost in the feeling of being connected to her, which was better than anything he’d ever experienced. He alternated between kissing her lips and kissing her neck, the latter of which allowed him to hear the soft moans that were escaping her lips. As they began to pick up their pace those moans became louder, and Margaery’s free hand that wasn’t curled around his shoulder reached out blindly. Robb took it in his own without a second thought, letting their fingers intertwine as he slid all the way into her again.

“You feel...so good,” she breathed, her lips close to his ear.

“So do you,” he whispered, giving her hand a squeeze, “You’re so tight and warm… and wet…”

She smiled against his lips when he kissed her again before his tongue dipped into her mouth. He moved his free hand between them and began to pleasure her, making her cry out. 

“Don’t stop, Robb,” she gasped, “ _ Oh _ , you’re going to make me come.”

Robb stilled his body for a moment, knowing that he was close himself, and kept a steady pressure as he circled her most sensitive spot. She began to shudder beneath him, her hips canting upwards towards his and her grip tightening on his hand. 

“Oh,  _ gods _ !” she called out. Her head tilted back, and he relished in the sensation of her walls clenching around his cock as she rode out her orgasm. 

With only a few more pumps of his hips, Robb was coming undone as well, moaning out Margaery’s name. He was absolutely certain it was the best orgasm he’d ever experienced, made all the better by experiencing it with the woman he loved more than anything. 

“Margaery, Margaery, Margaery…” he muttered, pressing several kisses to the tip of her nose. He withdrew his hand from between her legs as he caught his breath, and he made to pull back.

“No, not yet,” Margaery insisted, clutching at his arm, “Stay here for a little bit, will you?”

Robb smiled softly, giving a nod in answer to her request. “Aye, sweetheart,” he said, “If that’s what you’d like.”

Margaery’s eyes fell closed for a moment, a smile of her own on her lips, and Robb loved how utterly content she looked. “What I’d like is to never be apart from you ever again, I think,” she remarked. 

“I thought you’d already arranged that,” Robb replied with a chuckle. 

She giggled, bringing her hand up to trail her fingers over his jaw. “I meant like this,” she said, “Though I suppose that might get rather uncomfortable after a while.”

He laughed as well, tenderly brushing his nose against hers. “Well, luckily we get to do this as often as we want from now on,” he said as he played with her fingers on the hand he was still holding.

“This is true,” she noted, “I should have told you earlier how I felt about you.”

“I should’ve been more upfront with you,” Robb insisted, his brow furrowing. 

Margaery’s response was to shake her head, tapping gently between his brows with her free hand. “As much as I love this little crease,” she remarked, “It’s alright. I understand why you weren’t and besides, it’s in the past now. There’s so much waiting for us in our future.”

“And what do you see in our future, my sweet Margaery?”

“A happy home for the three of us.” When Robb raised his eyebrows, she giggled again. “You, me and Grey Wind of course...but perhaps in the future more than just three of us.”

“I’d like that a lot. I look forward to starting a family with you one day.”

She grinned and then leaned forward for another kiss. “Alright, my darling, I know you must be uncomfortable by now, even if you’re too kind to say it,” she murmured when they drew back.

He shook his head. “I love being this close to you, but I should get up and throw this condom away… Don’t worry, though, I’ll be back for cuddles.”

“I’d be mildly devastated if you weren’t,” Margaery said teasingly.

Robb gently lifted himself up and made a quick journey to the bathroom, returning a few minutes later to slip into bed beside Margaery. He wrapped his arms around her and as she reciprocated she also slid a leg between his ankles and rested her head against his chest. 

“I should let Grey Wind out soon,” Robb murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of Margaery’s head, “But I’d like to spend some time just like this.”

“I could spend forever like this,” she admitted quietly, “But we mustn’t neglect your fluffy son.”

He gave a chuckle as he trailed his hand over her bare back. “I think it’s only fair to call him  _ our _ fluffy son now,” he remarked, “I can’t wait to move in with you, sweetheart… Would it be too soon to start bringing my things over tomorrow after work?”

“I don’t think so, my love,” Margaery replied, “As long as we can successfully dispatch Osney again. He’s probably already starting to get suspicious.”

Robb paused for a moment in thought. “We could just tell him,” he suggested, “I don’t think he’s ever been my biggest fan, mind, but it might make things easier for us.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” Margaery acknowledged. She leaned in to press a tender kiss to his lips, then Robb watched as she gently rolled off him to get up from the bed.

“Where are you going?” he asked with a playful smile. 

“To let our fluffy son out,” Margaery replied. She grinned at him in return before she went over to her dresser and began to hastily pull on some clothes.

“I’ll go with you,” Robb was quick to offer, jumping out of bed and putting on his clothes that had wound up on the floor. Margaery raised her eyebrows at him. “I’m still your bodyguard until Forel finds a replacement,” he explained softly, “And I’d be doing a piss poor job if I let you go out alone at night without any protection.”

She gave a nod in understanding and then slipped a t-shirt over her head. “Sometimes I wish I lived somewhere safer,” she admitted, “But at least you’re here with me now. It makes this place feel a little more like home.”

He smiled again and finished dressing before making his way over to her and planting a kiss on the top of her head. “How do you feel about having a shower together after we take Grey Wind out?” he asked, his cheeks growing hot at his own suggestion.

Any embarrassment he felt was soon put to rest, however, by Margaery’s reaction. “I would love that,” she answered with a grin.

* * *

While they had been in Highgarden, Robb had experienced what it was like falling asleep and waking up with Margaery, but their morning had been cut very short by having to hastily smuggle Margaery out of the guest room. This time, when Robb awoke with her head resting against his chest, it was with the knowledge that they could take their time, and soon enough he would be living here and be able to share every morning with her.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” he murmured when he realized she was awake. 

“Good morning, my darling Robb,” she said in return, running a hand down his arm.

Grey Wind, who was sleeping at the foot of the bed, jumped up to greet them as well, making the couple laugh. 

“Gods, I can’t imagine a better way to wake up,” Margaery remarked, voicing Robb’s thoughts. She scooped Grey Wind up and pressed a kiss to his little nose. 

Robb was about to agree when he heard the doorbell ring, his brow immediately furrowing at the sound. “Are you expecting someone?” he queried as he sat up.

“I don’t think so,” Margaery answered. She looked a little bit frustrated and she sat up next to him, her nose wrinkling a little. “It might be Osney wanting to check in,” she added with a small sigh.

“Well, I’ll answer it just to be safe,” Robb said. He leant across to press a kiss to her lips, only to break into laughter as Grey Wind jumped up in an attempt to lick his face. “You two can stay here if you like,” he suggested.

“How about I make us all some breakfast in bed?” Margaery raised her eyebrows, directing a grin at him.

Robb smiled in return. “I think you’re brilliant.” He stood up and was pleasantly surprised when Margaery jumped up, slipped a robe over her pajamas, and took his hand in hers.

“If it is Osney, we ought to tell him about us. There’s no time like the present, right? I feel proud to be in a relationship with you, and I don’t want to hide it.”

He could only smile wider as he gave her hand an affirming squeeze. “Let’s do it,” he agreed. The doorbell rang again, and he called out to the person who was waiting. “Be right there!” he yelled before telling Grey Wind to stay so that he wouldn’t rush out the front door or jump on whoever their unexpected guest was.

He walked with Margaery to answer the door, looking through the peephole first and seeing that it was, in fact, her driver who had shown up. “It’s him,” he informed her softly, “Here goes nothing.”

The knowledge that it was in fact Osney had made Robb relax slightly, and as he pulled the door open he was already wearing a smile in greeting. “Hello, Os‒”

“ROBB, LOOK OUT!”

Robb caught a glimpse of Margaery’s driver, his strangely gloved hands wrapped around a gun, before he felt Margaery throw all of her weight against him in an attempt to move him out of the way. 

Osney pulled the trigger and Robb’s T-shirt was spattered with blood.


	6. Heartache & Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in this chapter and thank you everyone for your comments!

Robb had hoped to never feel the way he felt after his father died again. He had barely shed a tear since the funeral, busying himself with the distractions of training and exercising so that he didn’t have time for grief and all that came with it. He’d pushed the gut-wrenching loneliness and fear that had plagued him to the back of his mind, knowing that he couldn’t let his emotions overtake him if he wanted to be a good bodyguard.

He stayed calm as he dialed emergency services and gave them Margaery’s address, keeping pressure on her wound so that she wouldn’t bleed out on her apartment floor. He stayed calm when the ambulance came and whisked them away, when she lost consciousness halfway through the ride. He stayed calm as she was immediately taken to a room for emergency surgery when they arrived at the hospital, as he called his colleague Dacey, explained the situation to her, and asked her to take care of Grey Wind for the time-being. 

It was only when he’d made all the proper arrangements that he let the tears fall. He placed his head in his hands as he sat in the waiting room, unsure if the woman he loved was alive or dead.

The events that had unfolded just a few hours ago replayed in his mind, sometimes all in the blink of an eye and sometimes in slow motion. Each time, it was impossible for him to escape the singular truth of the situation: he had failed. If he had suspected Osney sooner, or not answered the door, or even just told Margaery to stay back, she wouldn’t be fighting for her life while he sat outside, unable to do anything but wait. 

“Sir? Sir?” He heard a stranger’s voice, and looked up to see a person sitting two chairs down from him trying to get his attention. “I think your phone was ringing.”

It took Robb a few moments to understand what the other man was saying. “My...oh.” Wiping hastily at his tears with one hand, he pulled his phone out of his pocket with the other only to see three missed calls from Catelyn Stark.

He wasn’t sure he had the energy to explain everything that was happening to his mum, but he knew he ought to call her back to make sure she wasn’t unnecessarily worrying about him. He hit the dial back button, and she picked up after only one ring.

“Robb?”

“Hi, Mum,” he breathed, swallowing the lump in his throat.

“Oh, thank the gods,” she said on the other line, “I saw on the news that there was a shooting in King’s Landing, and then they showed footage of you getting out of an ambulance… Are you alright?”

Robb blinked back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes again. “I am fine, Mum, but my...my client… I messed up. She’s in the operating room, and it’s my fault…”

“Oh, Robb,” Catelyn said softly.

“Margaery, she’s not just my...I’m sorry, I was going to tell you…”He heard his voice falter, but his mother was quick to step in.

“You care deeply about her, don’t you?” she asked.

It was only then that Robb remembered he was in a somewhat public place, and perhaps he should be a little bit more careful about what he revealed for the sake of Margaery’s continued safety. “Aye,” he said quietly.

“I’m going to pack my things and I’ll be on the first flight I can get to King’s Landing,” Catelyn affirmed. Robb’s eyes grew wide and before he even had a chance to reply, she added: “It isn’t your fault, Robb. The only person at fault is the man who fired the gun.”

Robb knew it would take more than his mother’s words to convince himself that he wasn’t at fault for Margaery being shot, but they were comforting nonetheless. “Thank you,” he whispered into the phone.

“Think nothing of it. I’ll see you in a few hours, Robb.”

They said their goodbyes, and he hung up the phone, grateful that talking to his mother had allowed him to sober up at least a small bit. He stood up from his seat to make a short trip to the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face, but he was stopped by one of the doctors.

“Mr. Stark?” she questioned, and he nodded his head, feeling his heart drop. “Miss. Tyrell’s surgery was successful. She’s still coming out of the anesthesia, but she has already asked for you.”

Robb’s eyes filled with tears again, only this time they were due to relief. “Please, I’d like to see her,” he said, to which the doctor smiled. 

“She’s in Room 304,” she told him, “You’re welcome to go up whenever you wish.”

“Thank you so much.” He decided going to the bathroom and anything else could wait, and headed straight for the lift to the third floor.

Margaery was lying on her side when he reached her room, and all he could see at first was her hair tied loosely behind her and her bandaged upper back where the bullet had gone through her. The anger he felt over what Osney had done threatened to overtake him for a moment, until he walked around to see her half-open eyes look at him and then the smallest of smiles appear on her face.

“Hello, my love,” she said softly.

“Oh, Margaery,” Robb breathed, sitting down in the chair next to her bed and very carefully taking his hands in hers, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-”

“Shh,” she urged, giving a gentle shake of her head, “You did absolutely nothing wrong. I’m still here, and that’s thanks to you.”

Robb felt tears springing forth in his eyes again, and he lowered his head to press a kiss to the back of Margaery’s hand. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” he whispered, “I love you so much.”

“I love you more than anything.” She trailed her thumb over his knuckles and let out a soft sigh. “How long have I been out?” she asked, “Did… did Osney get away?”

“I...I’m honestly not sure how long, sweetheart. I’m sorry,” Robb said, shaking his head. Time seemed to have passed both very quickly and very slowly from the moment Margaery had put herself in harm’s way. “I’m not sure about Osney, either. He made a run for it, but the police are looking for him. I might go help them...”

“They’ll get him,” Margaery affirmed softly.

“I certainly hope so. He needs to be brought to justice.” Robb furrowed his brow. “I can’t believe someone could be so...duplicitous, so conniving…”

“He does need to be brought to justice,” Margaery agreed, “But...selfishly, perhaps, I’d rather have you here with me at the moment.”

Robb smiled for the first time in a while, nodding in understanding. “I’m staying, then. I have half a mind to never leave your side again.” 

“I don’t think I’d mind that.” She gave his hands a small squeeze, though it seemed to take a lot of effort in order for her to do so. “Will you kiss me?” she requested quietly.

“Whenever you wish,” he complied, leaning in to press his lips to hers. He felt so incredibly lucky to be kissing the woman he loved after thinking he might not ever get the chance again. 

When he pulled back, she was smiling as well. “I have another question,” she remarked, “I know I’m full of them right now, but… this one is very important.”

Robb nodded, encouraging her to go on as he tenderly tucked a loose tendril of her hair behind her ear.

“I promise you it’s not the anesthesia talking when I say this,” she told him, “I think maybe… when you come so close to losing your life, you realize what’s important.  _ You _ are the most important person in my life, Robb. You’re my partner and my best friend, and I love you with everything in me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So I was wondering… will you marry me?”

Robb came close to surprising himself with how quickly an answer to Margaery’s question formed in his mind. While they had only admitted their feelings for each other recently, the connection they had built in the time they had been working together ran far deeper than he could even describe. He knew for a fact that he couldn’t picture his life anymore without Margaery in it.

“Of course I will. Whenever you wish,” he replied, his smile turning into a grin, “Right now, if you like.”

He saw tears glisten in the corners of Margaery’s eyes, but they appeared to be happy ones. “That’s very tempting,” she whispered, “But I wouldn’t want us to miss out on our honeymoon.”

“Is that so?” Robb queried in a playful tone, “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere warm and quiet,” she responded, “Somewhere far away from King’s Landing.” 

His face fell at her words, though he did his best to hide how he was feeling. He hadn’t allowed himself to think very far into the future as he waited to hear if Margaery’s surgery was successful or not, but he knew there would be repercussions for the both of them after the day’s events. He wasn’t keen on the idea of making a home for them in the apartment where she was shot, and she had mentioned to him on occasion that she wished she lived somewhere safer.

“We can move into my flat… when you’re allowed to go home,” he offered, “At least until we find a better place, maybe in the suburbs. I wouldn’t mind commuting into the city, and the Red Keep is only a block away from the tube.”

She gave him a small, sad smile. “Robb, I’m not… I’m going to have to drop out of the race,” she said, “Even if I did manage to get elected, I’m not fit to serve right now. I’m going to need physical therapy and probably psychotherapy, and honestly… I don’t know if this is the right place for me.”

“But Margaery, you...you’ve worked so hard and you have so many good ideas…” It didn’t seem right to Robb that someone like Margaery would be dropping out when she hadn’t done anything wrong. “I can help you as much as you need. Syrio said that I might end up reassigned somewhere else so I was going to resign anyway…”

“You were going to resign?” Margaery echoed. 

“Aye, if that happened. I can look for work here...being with  _ you _ is what’s most important.”

“Oh, sweetheart. I love you so much.” Margaery’s smile was brighter this time. “Being with you is what’s most important to me as well. If you are assigned to somewhere else...I could go with you.”

Robb couldn’t help but smile as well despite his sadness over their situation. His parents had often told him that relationships required compromise, but he never imagined he’d be with someone who would do anything for him and who he wanted to give the world in return. “Maybe we can use this as an opportunity to start anew…” he said softly, “You know, I really did like your idea about my going to university.”

“Yeah?” Margaery questioned, her eyebrows raising slightly, “I really like the idea of choosing where we settle down and figuring out the best place for us to heal together... I’m not going to give up on my dream of making a political difference. I’m just going to put a pause on things for now and take care of myself.”

Robb leaned in and pressed another loving kiss to Margaery’s lips. “I fully support any decision that will lead to your happiness, my love,” he murmured, “And I admire your ability to-”

“Excuse me, Miss. Tyrell? Mr. Stark?” he was interrupted by a nurse who had stepped into the room, “The police are here, and they wish to speak with you. Am I alright to let them in?”

“What do you think? Are you feeling up to it?” Robb asked, turning to Margaery.

“I think I want to hear what they have to say,” Margaery confirmed with the smallest of nods, “For peace of mind, if nothing else.”

“They can come in, then. Thank you,” Robb told the nurse.

The nurse took her leave after checking on Margaery, only to be replaced a few moments later by two police officers. Robb recognized one of them as Officer Bethany Blackwood, whom he had worked with a couple of times on security for Margaery’s events.

“Hello, Robb. Hello, Margaery,” she greeted them both with a nod, “It’s good to see you both again, though I’m sorry for the circumstances… This is my partner, Jerome Mallister. Is it okay with you if we pull up a couple of chairs and talk?”

“Of course,” Margaery answered.

The two officers sat down next to the couple, and Robb took hold of Margaery’s hand as he turned to face them.

“Well, we won’t keep you in suspense,” Jerome spoke up, “We found Osney only a few blocks down from Miss. Tyrell’s apartment and apprehended him. He’s in our custody and has already been questioned.”

“Did he tell you anything?” Robb asked.

“Oh, he was quite forthcoming once he realized talking would only help him,” Bethany remarked, “He’s alleging that he has been working for Joffrey Baratheon.”

Robb saw a look of utter bewilderment cross Margaery’s face, which probably matched his own. “For how long?” she queried.

“We don’t know. He wasn’t very clear about that,” Bethany responded, “What he did reveal to us was that you weren’t the target of his attempt, Margaery. Robb was.”

“ _ What?!”  _ Robb questioned rather incredulously, feeling as though his head was spinning at the news he’d just received. 

“Robb was the target?” Margaery repeated, blinking several times. She gave his hand a squeeze and gazed up at him with tears in her eyes. “Oh, my love,” she muttered, “Thank the gods you’re okay.”

Robb felt so overwhelmed by Margaery’s selflessness and love that it almost brought him to tears as well. He didn’t wish to be too explicit in their current company, but he leaned over to press a kiss to her temple. “Why me?” he queried, looking back towards the officers, “I don’t understand.”

Jerome wore a frown as he spoke again. “His exact words were ‘If Margaery died, she would become a martyr, and people would rally behind the Greenhand Party. If Robb died, it would break Margaery, and she would drop out of the race of her own accord.’” 

Robb’s hand that wasn’t holding Margaery’s balled into a fist, and he made no effort to hide in his expression how horrified he was by Osney’s words relayed by the police officer in front of him. Just as when his father had been killed, he found himself incapable of comprehending how so much insanity could result from a political campaign. Margaery’s desire to take a step back from politics, at least on a larger scale, was only making more sense by the minute. When Robb looked at her, he could see the tears that had been threatening to fall gently slip down her cheeks. 

“Is that everything we need to know, officers?” he asked, “While I’m grateful for you keeping us in the loop, I think Margaery could probably use some rest.”

Jerome nodded his head. “We might need to ask you a few questions later, but we’ll let you have some time to yourselves right now.”

“Thank you,” Margaery murmured as the two officers took their leave.

Bethany turned to face them before she reached the door, offering a kind gaze. “I understand that this situation is far from ideal, but I need you to know that Margaery likely saved your life by taking that bullet, Robb. And you likely saved hers by acting so quickly and properly caring for her wound.”

Robb still felt rather outraged by what Osney had done and said, but he had to admit that he took some comfort in the fact that both he and Margaery were alive and had thwarted Joffrey Baratheon’s plans. “Thank you,” he echoed Margaery’s sentiments, and Bethany gave a nod with a small smile before she made her way out of the room. 

Now alone with his fiancée again, Robb reached out to wipe away at her tears with his thumb, then leaned in to press a loving kiss to her lips. “I thought I was supposed to be  _ your _ bodyguard, sweetheart,” he murmured as he pulled away, hoping to make her smile.

The sound of her small chuckle was music to his ears. “Well, I learned from the best,” she murmured back.

He couldn’t help but smile as well as he kissed her again, gently brushing his nose against hers. “How are you feeling?” he asked after he’d drawn back, “That was a lot to take in.”

“I’m very tired,” she admitted, “I’d like to sleep for a little bit, but will you stay with me? I know I shouldn’t worry since Osney is in police custody, but I’d feel safer with you by my side.”

“You don’t have to convince me, sweetheart. I’m not leaving you,” Robb whispered. He thought that perhaps he could use some sleep as well. Even though it was still early afternoon, their morning had been emotionally taxing, and he felt both overwhelmed and exhausted. 

“I wish I could use your chest as a pillow,” Margaery remarked, “I was just starting to think I could get used to that.”

“As soon as the doctors say it’s OK, I’m happy to be your pillow anytime you like,” Robb confirmed, smiling again, “For now, though, I can hold your hand.”

“That sounds perfect.”

It didn’t take Robb long to fall asleep after he took hold of Margaery’s hand. All he could remember was making certain she was comfortable and pain-free before he closed his eyes, and the next thing he knew, he was waking up to a gentle pressure on his shoulder and someone saying his name.

When he blinked his eyes open, his mother swam into view. He carefully let go of his fiancée’s hand and immediately jumped up to greet Catelyn with a hug. “Thank you for coming, Mum,” he muttered. 

“How are you doing?” she questioned when they pulled away. 

Robb glanced over at Margaery who was still sleeping soundly, and he gave a soft smile. “A little better,” he said, turning back to Catelyn, “The police have already apprehended Osney, but… Mum, I was his target, not Margaery.”

“Oh, Robb…” Catelyn said, worry overcoming her features before she pulled him into another hug. For just an instant, Robb felt like he was a boy again being comforted by his mother’s embrace. “I’m so glad you’re safe,” she said softly. 

“All thanks to Margaery,” Robb murmured back, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about...everything, Mum. It all happened so quickly…”

“I don’t need an apology,” Catelyn insisted, “Clearly, what I need is to get to know this young woman better.”

Robb had never felt more appreciative of his mother and her generosity towards him. “Margaery is intelligent and compassionate and brilliant. I’ve never met anyone so beautiful on both the inside and out. She’s my best friend, Mum... And I honestly feel like I’ve found the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

Catelyn raised her eyebrows, but a smile appeared on her face. “Well I can’t say I’ve ever seen you like this before. I’m happy for you, Robb.”

“Robb, sweetheart?” He turned when he heard Margaery address him, and he sat down beside her once more, taking her hand.

“How are you feeling?” he asked her, offering a small smile.

“Happy to see you,” Margaery replied. Robb gave her hand a squeeze, having an inkling that his fiancée didn’t want to tell him how much pain she was in. “Do we have a visitor?” she asked him, “I thought I heard a voice…”

“Aye, sweetheart. My mum is here,” Robb explained, “You don’t have to meet her now, though, if you’re not up to it.”

Margaery gave a small shake of her head. “No, I’d love to meet her,” she said “I have to thank the woman who raised my favorite person in the whole world.”

Robb could feel his face flush crimson as his mom stepped forward and knelt beside him so that she could be on the other woman’s level. “I can only take partial credit,” Catelyn jested softly, “It’s wonderful to meet you. I feel as though I ought to thank you as well. You saved my son’s life.”

“I would take a bullet for him any day,” Margaery remarked with a smile, “Though hopefully I won’t have to do that again.”

“We’ll make sure of that,” Robb affirmed. If it was up to him, he would ensure Margaery would never be in danger for the rest of her life. “Mum, there’s...something else you should know now that you’re here. Margaery asked me to marry her today and I said yes.”

Catelyn turned from Margaery to look at him, her eyebrows raising again in surprise. She didn’t say anything, however, leaving a silence in the air which Robb hurried to fill. “You might be thinking this seems premature but as far as I’m concerned it couldn’t have come soon enough. Like you did with Dad, sometimes…sometimes you just know that you’re better with someone.”

“Actually, Robb, I was thinking that your fiancée is missing something.” Catelyn reached for her own left hand with her right, gently tugging something from her ring finger. She then opened her palm and offered it to her son. “Your father gave me this when he asked me to marry him,” she said, “Your aunt Lysa said it was rather modest, but I happened to think it was perfect. Hopefully Margaery agrees.”

“Mum, I…” Robb began to protest, but his mother shook her head, moving her open hand towards him. He carefully took the ring from her and dropped down to one knee in front of Margaery, giving her a smile. 

“What do you think, sweetheart?” he questioned, showing her the ring. 

Margaery smiled back at him, her eyes brimming with tears, though he could tell they were happy tears this time around. “I think that you are turning the worst day of my life into one of the best,” she replied. She slowly reached out her hand so that he could slide the ring onto her finger. “Thank you so much, Mrs. Stark,” she added, glancing up at Catelyn, “It  _ is _ absolutely perfect.”

“You’re most welcome,” Catelyn replied, “You wear it well.”

Robb threaded his fingers through Margaery’s and lent in to press a tender kiss to her lips. If his father could see him now, he felt as though he would be just as approving as his mother was of the woman Robb couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with.

“Oh, I’m sorry...I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Robb glanced over his shoulder at the sound of the voice, his gaze falling on a hospital staff member he hadn’t seen before. 

“I really do apologize,” the staff person repeated, “Someone has been calling the hospital repeatedly requesting to speak to Ms. Tyrell. They’ve been very adamant about it.”

Margaery’s eyes widened as they met Robb’s. “Did they leave a name?” she asked.

“Renly Baratheon.”


End file.
